Carry On
by Ocean
Summary: YY A hardened Yuugi brings home a man he's met at a hotel, a man who has achieved the amazing task of getting Yuugi's attention. With a troubled home life and Atemu's past a mystery, Yuugi may have more to deal with than he bargained for. -Complete-
1. Going Up?

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Hello all! This story is a compilation of several mini-plots that have been floating around in my head for over a year. I decided it was time to give them a voice, and I've been looking forward to writing another long story to go along with Fly Away Home. I hope you enjoy it. I welcome all feedback, and I will respond personally to each review I receive. I will do my best to update every Saturday.

_Ocean_

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter One – Going Up?_

Yuugi was standing in an elevator. His evening hadn't exactly panned out as he had thought it would, and he couldn't decide if the deviation should be welcome or not. It really all depended on his perspective of the matter, and he hadn't decided on that yet. His nerves were scratching at him as though he should be excited or ill at ease, neither of which he felt. His anxiety usually wasn't a player in his day to day life but tonight it had apparently decided to become his chaperone. He hadn't felt this strong presence of his nerves since he was thirteen and asked to step to the front of the class and give a speech on his homework assignment that he had neglected to complete.

A young man of twenty-four, Yuugi Motou was a proud Japanese citizen, born in the city of Domino. He had been an adequate student in school despite his mother's best efforts. Average in both stature and personality he had never stood separate from his classmates, except perhaps in the school's Go club where he was able to work his way to first chair. Noticeable improvement only occurred after he left home – an apartment that he shared with his mother and grandfather, above a gaming business that his grandfather owned and worked – when Yuugi entered college and discovered his passion for mathematics.

Yuugi scratched at his wrist absently. He'd learned far more in college than what the textbooks had offered. He also hadn't gone home after graduation as planned because of his newfound knowledge that life did not, in fact, _have_ to revolve around his family and their wishes. This was a decision that had not been well supported by his mother. One errant phone call home to alert his mom to his continued absence was so loudly objected to that the man in the next phone booth had turned to him in surprise at the volume.

A musical chime alerted Yuugi to the opening of the doors of the elevator. He stepped aside so that the two women standing beside him could exit the small space and walk down the hallway. He stole a peek at the beautiful golden walls and the hallway table with a single white Cala-lily, and then looked down at the worn Victorian carpet. The elevator attendant to his right was a Western-looking teenager named George, according to his nametag, who wore pressed black pants and a loud red jacket. Refined elegance versus the cheap motel on the highway. It all sort of melded into a middleclass atmosphere that was welcoming without being ostentatious.

It wasn't until the doors closed and the elevator resumed its climb that Yuugi noticed the two women had gotten off on his floor. He pursed his lips thoughtfully at this. He hadn't intended on remaining in the elevator. He slowly turned his eyes in reflection, lengthening the look until he could see past George to the only other passenger in the car.

The man shuffled his feet lightly, allowing his hip to lean against the rail. Yuugi continued to stare impolitely for a few moments more before returning his attention back in front of him.

Yes… the other man was an inquiry, wasn't he? Short for a man, no more than five feet and six inches in height, lightly built with an athlete's body but without the tone. His hair was a red so deep that in poor lighting it reflected black. It hung long around his face and over his ears before shortening towards the back, though not enough for it to be considered a short haircut. And his eyes. Eyes that reflected the light in such a way as to make them appear a burning red in color and slanted in such a manner as to reveal that he was not of Western descent and that, when added to the olive of his skin, announced his Middle East heritage.

He had met him downstairs in the lounge. Yuugi had taken pity on the lonely bartender and had offered to play a little piano for her to help ease the pain of the evening. Though no concerto, Yuugi was able to play a few pleasing melodies. He'd be better if he would only put in the time, but strenuous study had never been Yuugi's forte. It always left him bitter.

He'd played for an hour or so before someone had come and sat on the piano bench beside him. He was joined in such a quiet manner that Yuugi only noticed the other presence when he had to reach across the man to touch the keys. The low, warm, breathy chuckle that resulted from the action had been genuine, and Yuugi had been happy to have the audience.

"You seem to enjoy it," the other man had said.

"Somewhat," Yuugi had answered. "I prefer listening, actually. Sometimes you have to provide your own music though." The man had been amused and had proceeded to enjoy Yuugi's playing in silence.

Yuugi turned his head to look in the mirror to his side, shifting his gaze to covertly watch his companion. Though he didn't know much about him, not even a first name, there was something that kept his interest. He wasn't sure what it was, but he would be hard pressed to ignore a man who enjoyed piano music and had the patience to listen.

The attendant was having the evening of his life if Yuugi could tell by the eagerness in his eyes. George couldn't seem to keep the grin off his face and kept looking between the two men in the elevator with expectation. Yuugi politely ignored him while his companion remained relaxed and unconcerned.

"I wonder when the front desk opens tomorrow," Yuugi heard his interest say. Apparently it was an unimportant question as he shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. Yuugi found it fascinating that he was just standing there with his eyes lowered, not reacting to either of the two men in the elevator with him. Yuugi knew from experience that the bouncy hair that fell to his companion's shoulders was extremely soft. They had sat so close together on the bench that his hair had brushed against Yuugi's cheek. He appeared to be so at ease. His presence was almost tangible. It was completely baffling.

"Hey," Yuugi said, motioning with his head to get his attention. Once he had it, Yuugi turned to face him fully and leaned back against the rail himself, his arms crossed comfortably on his stomach. "What's your name?"

A raised eyebrow was his first answer. It was a curious gesture that was accompanied by a blank stare. Perhaps that's what it was about him that captured Yuugi's interest as few things did. A question as simple as "What is your name?" was complicated enough to require a moment of consideration before answering. He smiled lightly. If that were true, then what would the reaction be to a complicated inquiry? It might be fun to find out.

"Atemu."

"Huh?" Yuugi blinked out of his thoughts before remembering himself. "Oh. I haven't heard that one before. What is it? Arabian?"

Atemu leaned his head against the wall and watched Yuugi for a moment. "It's Egyptian," he finally said. "A family name, actually."

"Really?" Yuugi tried to hide the boredom he felt. He never had understood the fascination the world seemed to have with Egypt. It was all Napoleon's doing, allocating his resources to the discovery and excavation of ancient tombs for profit and self-promotion. It didn't seem to matter who you talked too, but almost everyone considered themselves to be an amateur Egyptologist. So much was already known about the ancient culture, and the modern one was unstable and foreign to outsiders, that Yuugi sincerely felt that resources would be much better spent in medical research than on old bodies and pottery sherds that, in his opinion, had nothing more to tell.

Yuugi looked at the poster for sushi at his side. Maybe Atemu wasn't as interesting as he had initially thought. He was disappointed to have expended so much effort with seemingly little gain. It was a shame, really. Tomorrow he had to return home, and he was going to have to do so without finding anything exciting in the world to bring with him. He turned back to Atemu to gain what little entertainment he could.

"Your accent," Yuugi said. His voice appeared to startle Atemu, but Yuugi wasn't sure if it was an act or not for the attendant's sake.

As Atemu was about to answer the lights in the elevator flickered and the car jerked to a halt. Everyone was thrown towards the middle of the cable car and entangled in arms and heads. George managed to hide his panic only moderately well as he opened the cover to the emergency phone a little forcefully and began to call for help before someone picked up on the other end. In his free hand he fished out a small but powerful flashlight and turned it on, the precision beam of light shaking with George's nerves. Yuugi and Atemu simply reverted to their positions, leaning against the rail on opposite sides of the car.

"Your accent," Yuugi repeated once they were settled.

"What about it?"

Yuugi shrugged. "I dunno. It's different." Atemu rolled his eyes at this obvious fact, which made Yuugi smirk in triumph. "Wouldn't expect an Egyptian to know Japanese."

"You find your language exceptional?" Atemu asked.

With narrowed eyes Yuugi gave a pointed glare. He was rather high and mighty, wasn't he? Quick to judge what lay beneath the surface. Yuugi wondered if it was a practiced habit or just some annoying innate ability. Those quick to judge were never friendly people in Yuugi's experience.

"They say it'll just be a minute!" George said rather suddenly, some moments after he had placed the phone back onto its receiver. "A blown circuit, or something." He gave a nervous laugh. "Gives us all a chance to get to know each other!" The light from his flashlight danced around the car creating a spotlight effect that lit each passenger in turn.

"Great," Yuugi drawled. Stuck in an elevator with two people he really had no curiosity in knowing. Such was his life.

"George?"

Yuugi brought himself back from his flight of self-pity at the sound of Atemu's voice. He followed his gaze over to George, who had noticeable sweat dripping down his temples. The kid was working himself up, ready to jump out of his skin with the slightest provocation. And so Yuugi was surprised when Atemu reached out with his hand and clamped it firmly onto George's shoulder.

"Steady yourself, George," Atemu said quietly, but with authority lacing the edge of his voice. "They won't leave us here to rot."

George gulped a breath of air and nodded his head, a shaky smile appearing on his face. He tightened his grip around his flashlight and steadied the beam. The corner of Atemu's mouth twitched upward, but disappeared before it could truly be called a smile. Atemu removed his hand from George's shoulder and let it fall to his side. His eyes hardened when they looked on Yuugi, who was looking on him with an air of discovery. Glaring a warning Atemu jerked his head to the side.

Yuugi's expression turned cunning; his smile only meeting his eyes half-way to reveal that he was quite pleased with himself for finding a piece to the puzzle that stood across from him. So the tough-guy, disinterested persona was just that, was it? There was softness in that heart somewhere. And even though he hadn't wanted to reveal it to Yuugi, Atemu hadn't been able to stop himself from reaching out to poor, suffering George. Yuugi found his interest peaked again, if only for the fact that Atemu was fascinating one minute and absurdly dull the next.

The loud, electric buzzing of a thousand kilowatts of electricity filled the car, followed by the return of the lights and the cable car continuing its ascent. The elevator smoothly guided itself to a stop upon reaching the twenty-eighth floor, and the inlaid doors opened slowly with a soft chime.

Atemu immediately exited the car without so much as a backwards glance and stepped into the little lobby area, where his next step hesitated and caused him to stumble lightly into a halt. He stood as though contemplating a deep secret before relaxing his posture and tilting his head towards his shoulder.

Yuugi recognized the gesture for what it was; an invitation to follow without the presumption that it would be accepted. It made Yuugi furrow his brows in thought. So perhaps Atemu was even softer than he had thought?

"Hey mister," George said quietly, poking Yuugi in the ribs. "Aren't ya gonna go with him?"

Yuugi looked over at George. "Why should I?" he asked in his normal tone. There was no possibility of Atemu not hearing the conversation. Yuugi didn't really see the need to hide it considering it was about Atemu anyway.

George was confused by Yuugi's question and kept his voice quiet. "But," he began, "you rode up here with him, didn't you? I mean, why else would you?"

"I don't know," Yuugi said as he turned his head to watch Atemu's reaction. Even if he didn't know any better, which he didn't because he didn't know Atemu at all, he could have sworn that Atemu appeared deflated and almost… beaten down, somehow. That didn't make sense to him. "It's not like I owe him anything," he said, perhaps more to himself than to George.

"Oh," George said.

Yuugi looked at him quickly before looking back at Atemu, whom had chuckled at Yuugi's last comment.

"That is true," Atemu said. "No one owes me anything." He gathered himself and walked out of sight around the corner, down the hall to his room.

Whoa whoa _whoa_, Yuugi thought. This isn't right. Something isn't right here. What did he mean by that? That no one owed him anything? The way he said it was so much heavier than just the words he had spoken. It was almost like… almost like it was something he had been _told _rather than a statement about debt. But why would anyone say something that cruel? Yuugi wasn't the most giving person around, but he would never stoop so low as to attack someone on such a personal level. His mind raced to put the pieces together and he almost missed the elevator doors closing before him.

Yuugi thrust his shoulder into the small space remaining between the doors and grunted as they closed on him before reopening. He ignored George's outcry and proceeded to trace Atemu's footsteps until he found him, five doors down, still standing in front of his door with his back towards the elevator. Yuugi walked around him so they were standing face to face and studied him, though it was difficult to do because Atemu's eyes were trained on the carpet by his door. Getting frustrated Yuugi reached forward and shoved his hand down Atemu's pocket to procure the key and inserted it into the computerized lock. He held the door open, pocketing the key, and a few moments later Atemu relented and went inside. Not once did he protest Yuugi's invasion of his personal space.

88 8 88 8

The hotel room was dark; the burgundy curtains drawn together with only the hazy, mellow light of the bedside lamp offering any visibility. The bedcovers were wrinkled but made, indicating that whoever had slept in the bed was not, despite appearances to the contrary, a neat freak. A green suitcase lay closed on a luggage rack that had been set up next to the TV stand and effectively cut the already small walkway in half. There was a small picture frame on the dresser beside the queen sized bed. A quick glance into the bathroom immediately off the minimal entryway revealed only a single toothbrush, an open travel-sized toothpaste, and a stick of deodorant. Even for a travel destination, the room appeared empty and unvisited.

Yuugi stopped beside the suitcase and watched Atemu walk around the bed and sit on the edge furthest from him. He may as well not be in the room for all the attention Atemu was giving him. Yuugi wasn't insulted by this otherwise deliberate rudeness. He didn't allow trivialities to bother him. But it was interesting that he wasn't being given even a _little _bit of attention considering all of the previous interaction that had already occurred between him and Atemu.

Atemu bent his leg over his knee and pulled off his shoe, repeating the action before standing and walking back around the bed towards the bathroom. He had to stop beside Yuugi for there was simply no room for him until the other man moved. Yuugi debated whether or not to let him pass without comment. None of this was making sense. The silence, the darkness, the air of defeat, none of it. Above all, Yuugi's gut was telling him that hanging around a little longer might be a good idea. And Yuugi always followed his gut no matter how farfetched the notion appeared to be.

Yuugi decided against trying to catch Atemu's eye and opted for words instead. "You do realize I'm leaving tomorrow," he said. "I know I mentioned it earlier."

Atemu looked at Yuugi with pained features. "I'm tired," he said quietly. "You're free to do what you like." He leaned forward just enough to allow his temple to brush against Yuugi's, at which point Yuugi pushed his back flush against the wall and allowed Atemu to go by.

The touch had been deliberate, and had been unexpected enough to allow Atemu to pass into the bathroom without further questions from Yuugi. The quiet click of the lock catching in its latch and the sound of running water focused Yuugi onto the present situation and he took the opportunity to stroll around the room. The lack of any personal effects made him frown. It wasn't usual for someone to appear so _not there_, especially in their own room. Yuugi sat on the edge of the bed where Atemu had been and clasped his hands between his knees. Why should he be this interested - or concerned, if he was being honest with himself, about someone like Atemu? It wasn't like he feared Atemu was going to take his own life. As little as he knew about the man, he knew enough to believe suicide was not a possibility.

Sighing out his frustration and taking a deep breath, Yuugi hesitated when the acrid smell of alcohol registered in his nose. He crinkled his brows at the odor, lifting his hand in front of his face and curving his fingers, capturing his breath and breathing it in. His breath didn't smell of alcohol so the fragrance wasn't coming from him. It must have come from Atemu, though Yuugi couldn't remember smelling it on him. Then again, he thought, being down in a bar where the aroma of alcohol was prevalent wasn't exactly a good test. And his attention had been diverted in the elevator. The fragrance was slight, but it did offer an explanation for Atemu's inconsistent behavior. The corner of Yuugi's mouth lifted upwards in a soft smile. If his suspicions were correct, which he knew they were, then the sincere Atemu who had reached out to George was the real Atemu, and the one who had scowled at him was simply the result of a little too much drink.

Satisfied with himself, Yuugi was about to leave and never think of Atemu again when he took a second look at the picture on the desk beside the bed. Curious, he reached over and brought it into his lap for closer study. It was an old photograph, the colors faded to a bronzy lightness, with two creases that crossed over the middle of the picture and a minimal tear in the lower right hand corner. The subjects of the photo were a young couple dressed in bright and colorful traditional robes, standing beside a palm tree in front of an oasis, their hands on the shoulder of a small child who was unmistakably Atemu. Yuugi found the scene charming until he took a closer look at Atemu. His father's hand was gripping his shoulder firmly. Very firmly, Yuugi noted, as though he were holding Atemu down or back or in place. Atemu was smiling, but it didn't quite reach his eyes and his body was stiff against his parents' hands.

Yuugi tapped the frame against his knee in thought. It was an interesting picture any way he looked at it. That settled things, then. Placing the picture back onto the table he stood, checked his pocket, and walked out of the room.

88 8 88 8

_To be continued…_


	2. Compliance

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Thank you so much for all the support! It was a pleasure to see all of you again, both new and old friends alike. I know chapter one was a little confusing. I have a feeling that most of this story is going to leave us (including me!) scratching our heads at the end of each chapter, but I hope that is a good thing. I'm as much a spectator to this story as you are. Here's chapter two. I hope you like it!

Ocean

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Two – Compliance_

Atemu allowed the water to turn colder than was comfortable as his wrist twisted the shower knob. He released it when his body began to shiver and resumed his position of resting his forehead against his hands against the wall. This allowed the ice-cold water to hit the base of his neck and run down his spine while leaving his hair and face relatively dry. It also provided the quickest root for the chill to spread throughout his body.

The relaxation his showers usually provided wasn't obliging this evening. Earlier he'd gone down to the bar in the hopes that a social setting would, at the least, distract him for a few hours. He had counted himself lucky that someone was playing the piano, especially since the bar was empty, because listening to music always had a calming affect on him. The guy wasn't great, but his efforts were pleasing enough and Atemu had joined the man on the bench.

Atemu shifted his weight and sighed, raising his head to get a shot of frigid water in his face. Four shots of Tequila had not been his best decision. The fact that he didn't drink much was evidenced by the splitting headache, the nausea, and the small tremors that kept quivering through his muscles. But god damn it, how did they think he was going to react? He punched his fist a little too hard into the brown ceramic tiles of the shower and winced at the pain. He should really stop asking himself that question. His parents had known exactly how he would react, and this was why they had opted to tell him in a letter. Atemu grinned into the spray without humor. No better way to prove themselves correct than to provoke the exact reaction they detested, right? His parents were many things, but stupid wasn't one of them.

"Way to live up to expectations," Atemu scolded himself. He'd left off the word "jerk," but just barely. It would only prove another victory for his parents if he began to refer to himself in the manner in which they saw him.

With a grunt Atemu turned off the water and pulled aside the shower curtain in one curt motion. Not to his surprise he'd forgotten to put the bathmat down, and he found a modicum of humor in the large puddle he was creating on the floor. He enjoyed the moment until he realized the moment he was enjoying. Rolling his head in irritation relieved some of the anxiety he was feeling, and he shook his body once before grabbing one of the hotel's white monogrammed towels and wrapping it around his waist. He hesitated, then laid his hand flat on the fogged mirror and dragged it across the surface, leaving a streaked but comparatively clean patch where he could see his reflection. It wasn't much to look at.

Atemu raised his hands and pulled at the skin around his eyes, trying to stretch them into a less angled shape. But even when that was accomplished his cheekbones were too high and prominent, his nose too wide, and his skin too dark to ever be able to pass as Japanese. His life would be so much easier if he blended in with his surroundings. He didn't have the money to fly home and didn't have a place to stay if he were able to get to Egypt. Atemu had long since accepted the fact that the island of Japan had become his permanent residence. It saddened him to know he would never fit in or belong.

The bright light shining in his eyes encouraged Atemu to leave the bathroom, turning off the light and walking over to the side of the bed. He sat softly, releasing a deep breath and closing his eyes. A small part of him had hoped that the young man from the bar would have chosen to stay in the room, even if only for a little while. It wasn't that he felt particularly drawn to him or anything sentimental like that; it was just that the presence of another human being who didn't find him an instant disappointment was an experience he was longing for. Well, it had been a foolish hope, and he only had himself to blame for the pang of sadness.

He rubbed his forehead in response to the throbbing headache pushing against his skull. Forgoing changing into his pajamas, Atemu relented to the alcohol and laid on top of the comforter, pulling it around himself as he bunched the pillow under his head and tried to sleep a dreamless sleep.

88 88 88

Yuugi fumbled with the small bunch of white heather in his hands, the petite, cupped flowers with the pink veins that held the petals together nicely contrasting with the burgundy mesh that was tied around the stems. He had ignored George's eager inquiries on the ride down to the lobby and subsequently the ride back up to Atemu's floor as to how his date was going with that Egyptian guy. When George had finally seen the flowers Yuugi was holding his eyes had bulged; asking over and over where Yuugi had gotten flowers, let alone flowers that were _that_ stunning and vibrant,because he had messed up with his girlfriend and she would really…

Yuugi had tuned out at this point, not in the mood to entertain George's fantasies and he had taken the opportunity to exit on a lower floor and take another elevator. Now he was standing outside Atemu's door, searching his pocket for the room key he had brought with him two and a half hours prior. He found it and inserted it into the door lock, entering the room without hesitation.

Seeing that the light was still on Yuugi didn't try to be quiet, and it wasn't until the door had already slammed itself close that he noticed Atemu asleep on the bed. He winced, a twinge of guilt passing through him, but shrugged it off as a misunderstanding and thought nothing more of it. Setting the heather on top of the TV, Yuugi went over to the chair in the corner of the room and undressed, removing his shoes, pants, and shirt, leaving his undershirt and boxers to sleep in. Picking up the bouquet of heather, Yuugi crawled gently onto the bed behind Atemu and placed the flowers in front of him. He frowned at the fact that Atemu hadn't even bothered to sleep under the covers. His upper torso was bare, and his skin was freezing to Yuugi's touch when he placed his hand on Atemu's shoulder. Tsking lightly, he reached behind himself to turn off the light.

Yuugi was about to lay his head on the pillow when he felt Atemu shift, rolling his shoulder forward and stretching his leg. The pitch black of the room didn't allow Yuugi to see if Atemu was awake, but the feeling in the air told him that he was. He waited patiently, balancing his weight on his elbow, allowing the moment to unfold as it would.

"You came back," Atemu finally said softly, not bothering to turn in Yuugi's direction. He inhaled to sigh but paused at the fragrance he noticed. "Heather?"

Yuugi was impressed with Atemu's perceptiveness though he didn't let it show in his voice. "Did you want me to?" he asked instead.

Atemu didn't answer at first, and the stillness in the room became a bit stifling. Yuugi wasn't surprised by Atemu's hesitation. What did surprise him was his own curiosity about the possible answer. He had already made his decision on what he was going to do regarding Atemu, but he hadn't considered that Atemu might have a differing opinion. Yuugi never considered that his opinion wasn't automatically held by everyone else. It didn't bother him much when he found out he was wrong; he was more confused than angry that other people always appeared so dead set against whatever it was he had to say. He had developed a thick skin over the years as a result of these misunderstandings.

"You're coming with me tomorrow," Yuugi said. "You really should have gotten under the covers," he continued, muttering as he maneuvered the comforter more securely around Atemu's legs and torso, leaving his arms free. When he leaned further down so he could reach towards Atemu's hands his cheek brushed over Atemu's still wet hair. Yuugi frowned, bringing his hand to smooth over the wet strands from the top of Atemu's head down onto the hair on the pillow. He hadn't even bothered to towel-dry his hair? "You should take better care of yourself," Yuugi chided, a touch of bitterness in his voice. What was the point if Atemu was determined to catch his death?

Atemu chuckled, his voice without humor. "It doesn't matter."

Yuugi pursed his lips, not happy with that blasted defeated tone that kept slipping into Atemu's voice. "Well," he said, spooning himself against Atemu's back and hooking his arm around his waist. Atemu didn't react at all to Yuugi's embrace. "We'll take care of that later. Right now we sleep. Tomorrow we check out and you come with me."

Satisfied, Yuugi was ready to go to sleep. Atemu, it appeared, was not.

"Which meaning?" Atemu asked.

"What?"

"Which meaning?" Atemu repeated. When Yuugi didn't respond he continued, "The heather. Which meaning are they supposed to have?"

Yuugi smiled against the back of Atemu's neck. He knew Atemu would be an interesting person, and intelligent to boot. It was going to be fun having him around.

"Protection," Yuugi said. "I don't know what your wishes are yet so I can't make them come true. That only leaves protection."

"Mmm." Atemu couldn't have made a more noncommittal sound.

Yuugi felt Atemu take a deep breath and let it out slowly, his body relaxing in preparation for sleep. Once he was sure Atemu had settled, he closed his eyes and let sleep come.

88 88 88

Sugoroku Motou wrestled the newspaper in his hand, shaking out the creases so he could better read the financial section. He was sitting at a worn white patio set, the metal table and two plastic chairs more comfortable to the old man than any plush recliner. The small backyard was situated directly behind the game shop he owned, with the living quarters for himself, his daughter, and occasionally his grandson on the second floor. The yard was a mismatch of green and brown grass and two saplings that had yet to find their roots and grow. A chain link fence ran along the side of the yard parallel to the building, and an old, wood fence that had been painted a dull red stood perpendicular to the shop, about four feet tall and allowing a view into the side alley that ran between the game shop and the neighboring produce store.

It was midmorning, and the clouds had yet to move inland and free the coastal city from their shadowy presence. Domino was a beach community, encompassing the whole of six square miles that was nestled against the base of an extinct volcano. The vegetation was lush and green where it had been allowed to remain in the city, in-between the concrete sidewalks and asphalt streets, permitting the residents to be reminded of nature while simultaneously enjoying their aversion to it. It was a popular destination city for foreigners who colored the streets with their eager eyes and copious ethnicities. Visitors mostly hailed from Western countries, but there was the occasional visitor from the Middle East, India, and mainland China. The locals didn't much pay attention to these details, preferring to attract business and the money vacationers brought with them. But of course, as in any city, there were those individuals who called themselves Purists, and would be quite pleased to never have anyone other than a Japanese citizen in Japan.

An entrepaneur, Sugoroku had put himself into a position to be exposed to many nationalities and so was better able to handle the influx of visitors during tourist season than those vendors whose man contacts were local. His daughter, god bless her, was too preoccupied with herself to notice others. Oh, she was a caring person and meant well, but her choices where not, how should he say, always made with the benefit of others in mind? That sounded right. The poor child had grown up without her mother who had died as a result of complications from delivery. Sugoroku had indulged his daughter as a coping method, wanting to give her everything that he could no longer give his wife. She in turn had learned to hide her emotions in hedonistic pursuits. As a result, Yuugi was born a product of a one-night stand. Though he said the actions leading up to his birth didn't bother him and that he didn't care what his mother had done, Sugoroku didn't believe him.

He sighed. The relationship between Sugoroku, his daughter, and Yuugi was tricky at the best of times. He didn't know how the news of his new girlfriend was going to settle, especially with Yuugi returning home after a long absence.

Checking his watch, noting that it was 10:30am, Sugoroku folded his newspaper and grasped it in his hand to return inside. Yuugi was due in half an hour and the place could use a good vacuum before the young man arrived. Sugoroku rummaged the vacuum cleaner out of the hall closet and plugged it in, and was just about to turn the machine on when the front door opened.

"Just kick your shoes off here," Yuugi said, gesturing with his hand. His black sleepover bag hung heavily on his shoulder and he was having trouble maneuvering in the small entryway that branched off into the store, the backyard, and to a flight of stairs.

"Oh, you're early Yuugi," Sugoroku said, leaning against the vacuum cleaner. "We weren't expecting you to be home for another half hour or so."

Yuugi looked up at the sound of his name and smiled a greeting to his grandfather. He still stood in the doorway, preoccupied with balancing on one foot to remove the shoe off the other with the cumbersome bulk of his bag. "Traffic was lighter than I thought it'd be. Mom home yet?"

"She'll be home later. She had a chance to work overtime today." Sugoroku laughed at Yuugi's struggle with his shoes, only noticing the other man behind his grandson once Yuugi had vacated the doorway. "Oh, who's this, then?" he asked.

Yuugi didn't turn to look behind him, instead tossing his bag onto the stairs and running a hand through his hair. "He'll be staying with me," was all he offered.

Sugoroku frowned a little. "Friend of yours?"

"No," Yuugi said nonchalantly. "Give me your bag," he said to the other man, taking it from him and tossing it with his own. "We'll settle in later. I'm starved."

Realizing he wasn't going to get any answers from his grandson, Sugoroku turned his attention to the stranger. "Who are you?" he asked, not unkindly.

The man, who looked like he had not gotten a good night's sleep, took a deep breath before answering. "I'm Atemu," he said evenly. "And it appears I will be staying here for a while."

Sugoroku was suspicious, but not of Atemu. Yuugi had a penchant for bringing complete strangers home with him, and inviting them to stay without first asking permission. Though there had been many arguments about this Yuugi always won for the fear his mother and grandfather had of him walking out the door and not returning. It didn't appear to Sugoroku that his grandson's time away at college had changed his grandson as much as he had hoped it would.

"Yuugi, a word?" Sugoroku asked, stepping aside and motioning for Yuugi to go out back. He kept his gaze firm and Yuugi eventually relented. Once he and Yuugi were outside he voiced his concern. "Another one, Yuugi? And where did you find him?"

"At my hotel," Yuugi said. "Well, actually, he found me. You really should buy a new patio set," he continued, rocking the table on its unsteady legs. "At least a new table before this one collapses on itself."

"Jesus Yuugi," Sugoroku groaned, impervious to Yuugi's rude attempt at distraction. "You know your mother and I don't approve of you bringing every stranger you meet out on the streets into our home. Don't you have any consideration for us at all?"

"Sure I do," Yuugi said. He knelt beside one of the chairs and began to inspect its legs. "That's why I have them sleep in my room instead of letting them crash on the couch." He looked at his grandfather from under his bangs. "Besides, I wouldn't bring anyone dangerous here. You and mom should think more of me than that."

"You can't possibly know if they're dangerous when you've only just met them," Sugoroku said, not rising to the bait. "I mean, how much do you know about _him_?" he said, pointing his arm toward the door. "Having just met him at your hotel," he scoffed, crossing his arms. "There's a resume we can trust."

Yuugi watched his grandfather for a long moment, and then stood. "Whatever," he said, brushing by the older man. "We'll talk later. Right now I'm going to grab something to eat." He left Sugoroku outside, shaking his head in frustration.

"Come on Até, let's go," Yuugi said, pushing his feet into a pair of slip-ons and grabbing his trusty blue jacket from the coat rack beside the door.

Atemu didn't move. "What did you call me?"

"Até," Yuugi repeated. "You know, Ah-tay?"

Atemu scrunched his face in disapproval. "I'd prefer you didn't call me that."

"That's nice," Yuugi said. He held the door open for Atemu to walk through, following behind him. "Feel like anything in particular, Até? I'm in the mood for Chinese myself, though I could go for pizza too."

Atemu growled low in his throat, but followed Yuugi to his car. After all, he was hungry too.

88 88 88

_to be continued…_

Heather (White) – Protection, Wishes Will Come True


	3. Mom's Home

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Enjoy.

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Three – Mom's Home_

Yuugi had thoroughly stuffed himself at dinner, exhibiting no manners at the buffet he and Atemu had agreed to eat at. Though in actuality, it had been Yuugi that chose the restaurant; Atemu had voiced no preferences, and had taken to shrugging in annoyance until Yuugi stopped asking him. If Yuugi hadn't been so hungry he probably would have forced Atemu to give an opinion. But considering that Atemu was going to be staying with him for awhile, he'd decided to eat first and ask questions later. It was pretty obvious that Atemu was going to be stubborn and withdrawn for as long as possible. Yuugi hoped that perhaps later in the evening, when Atemu was tired, he could creep behind his defenses and get some answers.

The evening had brought with it a soft display of pinks and purples nestling against the clouds, with a light undertone of orange that filled the spaces between them. Yuugi leaned back in the plastic lawn chair and propped his foot on the table, letting his free leg dangle as he rested his hands in his lap. It was really quite peaceful in the backyard. He understood why his grandfather enjoyed spending his free time in the yard rather than in the living quarters. Yuugi didn't take advantage of the space as much as he wanted to, but when the urge arose there was always his grandfather or mother out there, and he didn't want to go through the effort of trying not to fight with them. But at moments like these, when he was the only one in the small space, he found it pleasing to just sit with his thoughts and smile at the sky.

Checking his watch, Yuugi decided it was time to go inside and prepare for his mother's arrival. His grandfather had received a call not long after Yuugi had left for dinner that she would be home around seven o'clock, and it was nearly that time now. Stretching his arms above his head and letting out a sound of satisfaction he set the chair back down on all four legs and stood, maneuvering around the table and opening the screen door.

He trotted up the stairs, and at the top step he turned to his left and bumped into Atemu, who was entering the living room from the kitchen. Atemu jumped back quickly because the can of soda he was holding had spilled its contents all over his hand. Yuugi avoided the aggravated hand shaking, lowering his hands he had raised in surprise.

"Sorry about that," Yuugi said. He was unaffected by the quick glare Atemu gave him before wiping his hand on his pants. Yuugi watched the motion thoughtfully. "I don't remember you wearing those before."

"Pants?" Atemu asked irritably.

"The gloves," Yuugi said.

Atemu raised his eyebrow and looked at his hand. He only had one other pair of black fingerless gloves, though they weren't in the best condition. He'd worn them for years, and their faded color and slightly stretched material showed the use. The pair he was wearing was relatively new and now was going to smell like old soda for at least a week. The cotton/spandex blend held on to fragrances like glue.

"Well I don't sleep with them on," Atemu gave as way of explanation. He raised his soaked hand to his nose and sniffed, making a disgruntled face. "Ugh."

Yuugi smirked in amusement. "Why not?"

Atemu opened his mouth to answer and hesitated. "Actually, I don't know."

Yuugi smiled and took Atemu's hand. He held it, palm up, and ran is fingers lightly over the glove. "Why do you wear them?" he asked softly, keeping his eyes on Atemu's face. "You don't like the feeling of touch?"

Atemu looked down at his hand and watched Yuugi's fingers tracing the outline of the glove. "Not really," he said. He was still as Yuugi kept touching him and then jerked, as if remembering himself. He made to withdraw his hand, but when he tensed his muscles Yuugi flattened their hands together and held his firmly. Atemu was surprised by Yuugi's grip and it showed on his face.

"I was wondering," Yuugi began. His eyes narrowed when he saw Atemu erect a barrier against whatever question he was about to ask, and it made him frown internally. "I was wondering," he repeated a little more cautiously, "do you have an extra pair of gloves?"

Atemu blinked, and nodded. "Yeah, I do. But they're pretty old-"

"Could I wear them?"

Obviously, this was not the response Atemu had been expecting. His mouth opened in surprise, and he began to say something before thinking better of it and turning to go to the bedroom he and Yuugi would be sharing. Yuugi let him go, releasing his hand before Atemu tried to pull it away again. He had requested the gloves purposefully, wanting to test what Atemu was willing to give and how close he could get to him. Even though he had succeeded and Atemu was allowing him to share in the wearing of his gloves, Yuugi didn't like the defenses he had seen before he had asked for them. He accepted that Atemu was going to be in a bad mood for awhile, but to see him recoil from something as simple as touching hands was disturbing. He was going to have to work on that.

The telephone rang and Yuugi went to answer it. He picked up the receiver and balanced it between his ear and shoulder, leaving his hands free to fix a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Hello?" Yuugi asked. He stuck his finger in his mouth to lick off the peanut butter he'd managed to get on himself.

There was silence on the other end, and Yuugi was about to repeat the question when he finally heard a voice. "O-oh, hello," a female voice said. Whoever it was worked past her surprise and asked with more confidence, "Is Sugoroku home?"

"Mm-hmm," Yuugi said around his finger. He pulled it out of his mouth and finished making the sandwich. "Just a sec." He turned over his shoulder and shouted for his grandfather, setting the receiver on the kitchen counter and reaching for the paper towels.

"You're such a gentleman, Yuugi," Sugoroku teased as he came into the kitchen. He picked up the phone and began his conversation.

Yuugi wasn't interested and left the room as soon as Sugoroku entered, carrying one half of his sandwich in each hand in a paper towel. Atemu hadn't emerged from his bedroom yet and Yuugi was getting curious. Before he could head down the hall he heard the ricochet of the side door opening downstairs, and paused. "That you mom?"

"It's me Hun!" Yuugi's mother called. After removing her shoes she ran up the stairs and embraced her son tightly, hopping up and down with him in her arms and effectively embarrassing him. "So good to see you again!"

"_Mom_!" Yuugi whined. He craned his head to see over her shoulder and called for help. It arrived from the kitchen.

"Gina, my girl, let the poor boy go," Sugoroku said, having ended his phone conversation at Yuugi's plea. He didn't bother to hide his chuckles at the sight of Yuugi's pouting face and his daughter's serenity. "How was your day, dear?"

Gina finally released Yuugi and straightened her short ebony hair, setting her purse on the landing by the stairs and leaning against the wall. "Long," she said. "But good. Made a lot of money today. But I swear, next time I'm going to ask if Ami is working and if she is, I am _not _going in. You know she spent the whole day telling me how much she hates her boyfriend, and then right when we're leaving she calls and invites him to dinner so they can rekindle their relationship?? I don't need that drama. I've got plenty at home."

Sugoroku nodded in sympathy. Gina hadn't liked Ami since the beginning, when the younger woman had begun working at the bakery where Gina worked the counter. It seemed that the two were always paired to work together. Sugoroku found the situation to be humorous because Ami reminded him of how Gina had been when she was in her late twenties. But he would never say this to his daughter. He did have a sense of self-preservation, after all.

"So Yuugi," Gina said, turning to her son. "Feel good to be home?"

Yuugi visibly sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sure mom. Good as always."

Gina's eyes glazed over a little, and she made a point not to reprimand Yuugi on his first day home. Instead, she plastered a smile on her face and clasped her hands together. "Alright then. Who's hungry? I feel like celebrating!"

"No thanks," Yuugi said, turning his attention to the hallway. Atemu had walked into the room, without the gloves Yuugi had asked for, and had come to a staggered halt when he saw Gina. Yuugi stretched out one hand holding half of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich he had made. When Atemu simply looked at it, Yuugi irritably reached for his hand and forced him to take the sandwich. "Just take it, Até. You need some meat on you."

"I told you I was full," Atemu said, frowning.

"Mm-hmm," Yuugi said, taking a bite of his own sandwich. "I was willing to believe it at lunch. Don't push it." He smirked around his sandwich when Atemu took a begrudging bite of his own. "Thanks, Até."

"Stop calling me that."

"Um." Gina had watched the exchange with an expression of surprise mixed with resignation. "Yuugi?"

Yuugi turned his attention to his mother, only then realizing that he hadn't introduced his new housemate to her. "Oh right. Mom, this is Até-"

"Atemu."

"-Até. Até, my mother." Yuugi leaned toward his mother and placed his hand over his mouth in a scheming manner, making sure Atemu was listening. "He's a little sensitive, so we need to be careful we don't hurt his feelings. Wouldn't want our houseguest to be uncomfortable." He straightened, and added with a grin that was anything but sorry, "Isn't that right, Até?"

"Bite me," Atemu snapped. He stomped back to the bedroom, shoving his sandwich in his mouth.

Yuugi laughed and turned to his family. "He's a kick, isn't he? It's going to be fun having him around."

"Atemu, right?" Gina asked. "He has a, a strong accent. Where's he from?"

"Egypt," Yuugi said.

Gina's brows furrowed in confusion. "But I thought you hated Egypt? Has that changed?"

"Nope." Yuugi finished his sandwich, licking his fingers to make sure he didn't waste any peanut butter. "And we're having this sandwich for dinner," he said, "so you and Grandpa go ahead and make whatever you want."

Gina had had enough. "Now listen here, Yuugi," she said to her son's retreating form, her tone making him stop and turn around. "I know you're an adult and have your own ideas, but while you stay here you are under _our_ roof, and you will act accordingly. Is that clear?"

"What?" Yuugi asked. "What did I do this time?"

"You know very well what you did," Gina said, her hands raising to her hips and fisting in her growing anger. "You will not treat us like we're some unwanted roommates!"

"Now Gina," Sugoroku interrupted, trying to put a lid on the situation before it got out of hand.

"God mom!" Yuugi said. "This again? Can't we even be civil for ten minutes without this crap being brought up?"

Gina shook her father's hand off her arm and pointed at Yuugi. "We wouldn't fight if you'd just behave better."

"Better?" Yuugi asked. He scoffed. "I don't know what you want from me. To be some little clone or something, I don't know."

"Yuugi," Sugoroku warned.

"I'm not doing this tonight," Yuugi said abruptly, raising his hands and shaking his head in denial. He turned and marched purposefully to his room, opening and shutting the door with force.

"Damn it!" Gina cursed, placing her hand on her forehead. She took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I didn't want this, dad. I don't want to fight with him like this."

"I know," Sugoroku said, rubbing her back slowly to release her tension. "But he was defensive before you came home."

"The houseguest?" Gina asked wearily.

"Afraid so. Come on dear," Sugoroku said, guiding his daughter into the kitchen. "Let's have a nice dinner and we'll talk some more about it."

88 88 88

Yuugi kicked the bag that was unfortunate enough to be in his way. He had known it was going to be like this if he came home. It was _always_ like this when he was home. Snide comments and blatant demands were thrust at him constantly. When he had told his mother he didn't know what she wanted from him he had been telling the truth, hough she probably took it as a flippant remark, knowing his luck. But what the hell was he supposed to do to please his family? Even when he did as they said they complained. He was too smart, too sarcastic, too independent, too clingy, too sentimental, too hard, too soft, too argumentative. Gee, had he left anything out? Oh, right. Too irresponsible. He had forgotten that one.

It came as a surprise to Yuugi when he noticed Atemu sitting on the floor by the foot of his bed, knees bent and hands holding on to a pair of fingerless gloves. It appeared as though Atemu hadn't noticed Yuugi's violent entrance into the room. His eyes were lowered, clouded over in thoughts that were playing themselves out in his mind. Yuugi tsked lightly and went over to him, bending down to pick up the waded paper towel and throw it in the garbage can before kneeling in front of Atemu.

"Hey," he said softly. "Did you get to hear all that?"

It took a moment for his voice to register, but Atemu did blink and look up at him. His face showed confusion before realizing what Yuugi had said. "It was nothing," he said, a soft smile playing on his lips. "I've heard worse."

Yuugi nodded. He stretched his neck so he could see over Atemu's knees and reached forward, placing his hand on top of Atemu's and the gloves he was holding. "Are these important to you?"

Atemu didn't answer at first, his eyes flitting upwards to look at Yuugi before returning to the gloves. "I lied to you earlier," he said.

"About what?" Yuugi asked.

"Not liking to be touched," Atemu said. He sighed, wriggling his fingers beneath Yuugi's hand but not pulling away from him. "I don't mind it. I don't particularly care for it, but…" Atemu hesitated here, not sure how to voice his feelings.

"You could take it or leave it?" Yuugi offered. He closed his fingers around Atemu's hands when the other man nodded and smiled at him. Yuugi was proud of himself for being able to make Atemu smile. It was a beautiful smile, sincere and easy, with just the glimmer of teeth peaking from behind his lips. But it was difficult to bring it out, and Yuugi wasn't quite sure why.

"Do you still want these?" Atemu asked, freeing his hand from Yuugi's hold and holding the gloves in front of him.

Yuugi moved his eyes from Atemu's smile and focused on the gloves, grinning as he took them. Carefully he began to put them on, starting with his left hand. "They're softer than I thought they'd be," he commented, rubbing the material between his fingers. Once he had the glove on he noticed that the palm was worn. He slipped on the other glove to discover that the palm of the right hand was in better condition. He looked at Atemu and raised an eyebrow. "Reason?" he asked.

"I'm left-handed," Atemu explained. He looked sheepish, but shrugged it off and decided to tell Yuugi, "I have a habit of rubbing my fingers into my palm." He glared lightly when Yuugi chuckled. "It's not like I do it on purpose."

Yuugi held his hands out in front of his face with his fingers spread. "It's different. I like them."

"Why did you want them?" Atemu asked, leaning his head to the side.

Yuugi hummed, but didn't offer an answer to Atemu's question, opting to stand and stretch his arms above his head. "Man," he said, looking around his room, "I'm a slob, aren't I? Help me clean this up so there's room for you."

Atemu didn't move. "It's your mess," he said. "I don't even know where anything goes."

"But you can learn," Yuugi said, bending down and picking up his bag. He tossed it onto the bed and opened it so he could pull out his clothes. One whiff told him that everything in his bag would be spending the night in the laundry room, as far away from him as possible.

"When I want to."

Yuugi laughed at the tease in Atemu's voice. Soon the two men had the room in respectable order and Yuugi turned to look at his closet. He stood before it, hands on his hips and shaking his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but Atemu beat him to it. "Not on your life," Atemu said, pointedly sitting on Yuugi's bed.

"Oh well," Yuugi sighed. "I guess I can just shove everything to the side to make room for your things. It's not like you have much."

"Don't put yourself to too much trouble just for _me_," Atemu grumbled.

Yuugi thought this response to be funny until he turned and looked at his new roommate. Atemu was tense, his legs crossed but stiff, his head angled down towards the floor and his hands gripping the edge of the bed. It was a complete shift in mood, and it caught Yuugi off guard. He walked over so he was standing in front of Atemu, watching him as he rewound the conversation. He grimaced when he realized the carelessness of his words. Of course Atemu was sour. He already felt that he wasn't worth much, and Yuugi had gone and reinforced that belief without even realizing it.

Sighing, Yuugi closed his eyes in reprimand before opening them again. "Would you like to place your picture on my desk?"

"No."

The answer was curt, and Yuugi knew he had messed up. "Alright," he said, not wanting to push Atemu. He tapped his hand against his leg, trying to think of something that would help him bring Atemu closer. He knew from experience that it was difficult to fix someone you weren't close too, and though he was willing to put in a great deal of effort with Atemu, he didn't want to make his task harder than it was already going to be.

Licking his bottom lip thoughtfully, Yuugi nodded to himself and got onto his knees so he could reach under his bed. Avoiding Atemu's feet he felt around until he found his treasure box, a beat-up old thing made of brown cardboard with a lid that didn't fit quite right. Carefully bringing it out from under the bed, Yuugi stood and patted Atemu's thigh, asking him to move over so he could sit by him. Once seated, Yuugi took the lid off his box and started to rummage inside.

Atemu didn't want to be curious, but he couldn't help himself and he tried to peek into Yuugi's box. Yuugi hid his smile at Atemu's captured attention by turning away just enough so Atemu couldn't see completely inside the box, but enough to be able to see the edge of whatever Yuugi was holding in his hand at the moment.

"What's that?" Atemu eventually asked when he failed to get a decent look at the box's contents.

"This?" Yuugi asked, holding up the box. "Oh, nothing much. Just an old box I keep things in."

"Well?"

"Well what?" Yuugi asked innocently.

Atemu rolled his eyes dramatically, and Yuugi was pleased to see some of his bad mood dissipate in way of his intelligence. "You mean to show me something, don't you?"

"No," Yuugi said. "I mean to give you something." Finally he was able to find the item he was looking for and he held it out for Atemu to see. "It's a puka shell necklace, from the islands of Hawaii," Yuugi explained.

Atemu looked politely at the tightly stringed, small white shell necklace draped over Yuugi's fingers. The chipped edges of the hundreds of slivers of shell gave the necklace a slightly rough appearance, the edges rising and falling repeatedly. He took it carefully from Yuugi's hand and hung it between his own.

"Why would you want to give me this?" Atemu asked with a note of skepticism in his voice.

Yuugi placed his hand behind Atemu on the bed and leaned over him, looking at the necklace. "I had the opportunity to study for a semester on the island of Oahu. It's a beautiful place. The oceans are just bluer than anything you've ever seen. Anyway," he said, tracing his finger over the necklace, "one of the professors became a close friend of mine. He gave me this necklace a few days before I returned to Japan. He said it was so I wouldn't forget him or my time spent on the islands." Yuugi's eyes were hooded, and his voice faded into the soft, soothing tones of memory. "I think it meant something more, but we never went there."

"Do you regret that?" Atemu asked softly.

Yuugi shook his head. "No. His feelings were one-sided. I liked him, but I didn't love him."

"You didn't have any problem with both of you being male?"

"Of course not," Yuugi said. "Why should that bother me?"

"It bothers many," Atemu said bitterly. He lowered his hand to his lap, momentarily forgetting the necklace.

"I don't see why," Yuugi said. "People are people. Man, woman, it doesn't matter."

"Yeah well," Atemu said. "Your one of the few who see it that way."

Yuugi noticed the anger and the hurt in Atemu's voice. His eyes were creased at the corners, a result of the frown on his face. Yuugi placed his hand on Atemu's shoulder, offering what comfort he felt Atemu would accept.

"So after all this," Atemu suddenly said. "What does this necklace mean to me?"

Yuugi thought about his answer carefully. "What it means," he eventually said, reaching for the necklace and taking hold of it. He pulled Atemu's hand towards him and placed the necklace on his palm and closed his fingers over it. "Is that someone cares about you."

Atemu wouldn't look Yuugi in the eye, but Yuugi understood that it was going to take some time before Atemu was able to understand and accept what he had been told. He wanted to stay by his side, to make sure that Atemu accepted that he cared for him, and he would have if not for his grandfather coming to his door and knocking. Sugoroku asked his grandson to come out to the living room to a family meeting, and Yuugi, though still miffed at his mother, felt obliged to at least try to make amends before they all went to bed. With a final squeeze to Atemu's shoulder, he stood and left his room, closing his door quietly behind him.

88 88 88

_to be continued…_


	4. Peer Pressure

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Four – Peer Pressure_

"I can't believe it. I can't _believe_ it! She couldn't even wait one day before yelling at me? AND she finds a reason to yell at me every night! Can you believe she actually told me that she shouldn't have allowed me to go to college because it has been" – and here Yuugi raised his hands to make quotes in the air as he paced – "a Bad Influence on me? How can college be a bad influence? She's the one who's always told me that I should go and when I do it's suddenly a bad and reckless decision on my part!"

Yuugi's friends grimaced in sympathy. The group of four was sitting in the living room, spreading themselves out among the loveseat, the recliner, and the remaining space on the floor next to the coffee table that was the focal point of the room. It was early afternoon on the fourth day of Yuugi's return home. The sun shone brilliantly through the second story windows, casting light on the friends and trying to lighten the hectic energy that emanated off Yuugi. The cramped space never felt small when the four of them were together despite the fact that they could all reach out and touch each other without moving. Though the space was perfect for fun and intimate moments between the friends, when Yuugi was ranting about his home life it became as loud and cramped as a city bus.

"Geeze man, I'm sorry," Jounochi said, rubbing both his hands over his face.

Yuugi threw his hands into the air in futility. His blonde friend had heard this complaint from the day Yuugi had brought him home during his first year at college, and he knew he didn't want nor need to hear it again. He was just so frustrated inside that he didn't know what else to do other than release his tension in the loudest, most animated way he could think of, if only to tire himself out so he would stop. "I don't know," he said, letting himself drop heavily into the recliner he had vacated during his rant. "I guess… I guess I just wish it could be different, you know?"

The only woman of the group – and therefore stronger and more tolerant than the rest of the lot combined – looked sympathetically at Yuugi. She had known Yuugi since they were children, but they were only in each other's lives sporadically. Different schools, different neighborhoods, different interests and personalities; there was much that kept them apart, but that couldn't overcome the affection and comfort that came from knowing someone your entire life. It meant that you didn't have to be in constant contact to still care about the other's well-being. The young woman tucked her auburn hair behind her ear, reminding herself yet again that she should not have cut it so short.

"It's hard for things to change when you're not around all that much," Anzu said softly.

"That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Honda, the other male in the room whom Yuugi had met through Jounochi, interrupted before Yuugi could respond. "It takes two to argue, you know."

"Three in this case," Jounochi contributed.

"You know that isn't what I meant," Anzu said wearily. "All I'm saying is that if you aren't here to work on the relationship, the relationship isn't going to change."

Yuugi narrowed his eyes at the corners. He was fairly certain of the reprimand in Anzu's voice and the momentary bitterness that passed over her features. He wasn't in the mood for another argument, but he was going to have to talk to her about her slip later. The past was the past and they needed to stop allowing it to affect the present.

"Yeah well," Jounochi said from his position on the floor. He pulled over the bag of pretzels Honda had brought with him and opened it. "Let's not let this spoil things. It's the first time we've seen you in three years. We've got dirt to dig out of ya!"

Yuugi chuckled. "I've always admired your ability to focus on the important things. Besides," he said, crossing his legs and slouching in the recliner, "it's not like we haven't talked in all that time."

"Yeah, but this is different," Jounochi said.

"It's harder to lie in person," Honda said with a smirk.

"So!" Anzu clapped her hands together in her eagerness to begin her questioning. "Is it true that your grandfather has a _girlfriend_?"

Jounochi's eyes bulged out of his head when Yuugi nodded. "Oh man!" he said. "I don't know if I want to hear that or not! The imagery… it's just too much to think about." He stuck out his tongue for emphasis, then placed a pretzel on it and pulled it into his mouth.

"Tell me about it," Yuugi chortled.

"How'd your mom take it?" Honda asked, leaning back on the couch cushions.

Yuugi smiled through his grimace. "Um. Well, it was pretty much a shock for her. I guess grandpa's done a good job of keeping it secret. You know, he actually told mom that he was going out to underground gaming tournaments at night?"

Yuugi's friend stared at him in open surprise. "And she _believed_ that?" Anzu asked.

"My mother," Yuugi said, waving his hand dismissively.

Jounochi whistled and Honda smacked him over the back of his head. Jounochi gave his companion a pitiful expression and rubbed the sore spot. "I didn't say nothing," he grumbled.

"Your whistles say more than your mouth ever does," Honda said. The group laughed at Jounochi's indignant look as he crossed his arms and pouted. He roughly grabbed the pretzel bag and shoved a handful of the baked snacks into his mouth.

"I'm more surprised than anything," Yuugi continued. "I mean, I've never even considered that grandpa would want to date after grandma died."

"Does it bother you?" Anzu asked.

Yuugi rolled his shoulder, averting his eyes. "Not really. It's no business of mine."

"Not your business? Of course it is." Honda sat forward on the couch, leaning toward Yuugi. "It affects the family so that makes it your business. Besides, it's not like she's being brought into calm waters. I've got sympathy for her already."

"So who's crazier?" Jounochi asked, the pretzels having gotten him out of his sour mood. "Grandpa dating at his age, or, the woman dating at _her_ age, or, Yuugi coming home without bringing his best buds some gifts?"

Anzu and Honda stared at Jounochi. Yuugi looked confused. Jounochi shrugged his shoulders. This was not an atypical scenario for this foursome, and the moment quickly passed without much thought.

"So do you get to meet her?" Honda asked after giving a perplexed side-glance to Jounochi.

"Yeah," Yuugi sighed. He closed his eyes and relaxed fully into the recliner. "After a full minute of being stunned, mom demanded that she be invited over to dinner." He smirked, a dark line on his face. "Dinner's going to be spicy tonight."

Anzu chewed on her lower lip. She was disturbed by Yuugi's apparent enjoyment over the impending fireworks. "Yuugi?" she asked.

"Mmm?"

"Uh, well, it's just that…" Anzu hesitated, pulling a pillow into her lap, looking to Jounochi and Honda for support that was not openly given. "I'm sure your grandfather wouldn't be involved with a woman who was, was-"

"A skank?" Jou offered.

"After his vast fortune?" The boys cringed at Anzu's reprimanding glare.

Yuugi opened one eye, his mouth holding a frown. "What are you saying Anzu?"

"Just, wouldn't it be easier not to assume the worst? To try and get along?" Anzu folded her hands on top of the pillow and waited anxiously for Yuugi's response.

Yuugi's frown remained on his face. He didn't feel the need to assuage Anzu's insecurity by answering right away. It appeared that his friends still perceived him as a judgmental fool, bypassing first impressions in favor of preconceived notions. He never understood why they thought him so shallow. He had never, as far as he was aware, given them reason to think that way of him. Yuugi simply made decisions faster than his friends, and he didn't waver over if they were correct or not. He was a man who knew what he liked, and he knew it instantly. It was just they way he was. The concept didn't appear to be compatible with his friends' rolling view of the world.

Yuugi shook his head lightly. "Yes, Anzu, it would be easier." Acquiescence was the path of least resistance in this scenario.

"His timing is weird," Honda said to break the silence that followed Yuugi's comment. "How long have they been dating?"

"Three months," Yuugi said.

Honda held his hand at his chin in thought. "Why would he wait that long to tell you? Or at least tell your mom. I'd think it'd be happy news."

"I dunno," Yuugi said. "Maybe he wanted to get it all over with in one go, so he had to wait for me to come home."

"Is it that bad?" Jounochi asked.

"No." Yuugi brought his feet up and folded them on the recliner. "But then again I haven't been home, so I don't know what's going on between him and mom. Frankly, I don't really care as long as they don't involve me."

"_Yuugi_," Anzu scolded. "That's an awful thing to say."

"I have to agree Yug," Jounochi said. Honda nodded his head.

Yuugi rolled his eyes. Oh, what a bad little boy he was not to want to be involved in family quarrels. "Whatever," he said with a voice dripping acid. "I don't need to know the details. There's nothing I can do about it."

"What about him?" Jounochi asked, sensing the dire need to change the topic before the four of them started bickering with each other. "The guy you brought home. What was his name again?"

"Atemu," Yuugi said. He took and released a deep breath, forcing himself to let go of the defensiveness that kept pervading his mood. "Yeah, he'll be there. I'm not going to go and kick him out just because grandpa is having his girlfriend over."

"What's he like?" Honda asked. He took a seat on the floor next to Jounochi, and the two of them proceeded to fight quietly over the pretzels.

"Oh, he's interesting, alright." Yuugi chuckled. "He's different from all of us, that's for sure."

"That might be in his favor," Jounochi said to the amusement of the group.

"How old is he?" Anzu asked. Unable to hold herself back any longer, she too went to the floor and started pilfering the pretzels from her boys.

"Twenty-eight, I think. He mentioned it so off-handedly that at first I didn't understand what he meant. Thought he was talking about how many shirts he had or something." Yuugi held out his hand, palm up, and easily caught the pretzel Anzu tossed to him.

"He's old," Honda blurted.

"Only four years older than us," Jounochi pointed out. "Yug's always liked older men."

"There's more wrong with them," Anzu said, failing to hide her grin behind her hand.

"Har har." Yuugi graced his friends with a rude hand gesture that his mother would have been ashamed of. The movement brought his gloved hands into prominent view, and it was only now that his friends realized that Yuugi was wearing something on his hands. As smart as they were collectively, observation was not their strongest suit.

"Where'd you get those gloves?" Jounochi asked, pointing at Yuugi's hands. His diverted attention resulted in the loss of the pretzel bag to Anzu.

Yuugi looked at his hands in the manner of one who is trying to understand a complex work of art. "Got'em from Até," he said. "They look kinda cool, I think. They're comfortable."

"You've nicknamed him already?" Anzu asked. She gave a suffering sigh at Yuugi's grin. "What would you want to wear them for? You've never talked about wearing gloves."

"It seemed like the thing to do at the time," Yuugi explained.

"Have you slept with him yet?"

Honda whistled at Jounochi's comment, while Anzu and Yuugi gaped at the blonde, her in disbelief and him in amusement. The question was not completely out of line. The group of friends had never had a problem with sex, discussing it or participating in it. They didn't sleep around just for the hell of it, but when they met someone they liked they saw no reason why they couldn't share the experience with them. Yuugi and Anzu had been together long before Honda and Jounochi were brought in, and it was well known that Honda was attempting to seduce Jounochi's younger sister. Unfortunately for Jounochi, he appeared to be succeeding.

Yuugi brought home one or two people a year, depending on how often he came to live with his family. While he was on his own in college he didn't have the need to find people. Living in the dorms provided him an endless supply of people to look after, and his proficiency at math guaranteed he'd be invited to many rooms. He had been told several times that he should have majored in psychology or, at the very least, anthropology, because of his love for studying people and the roots of their actions. Yuugi was a philanthropist in his heart, but he wasn't interested in choosing a career that _required_ him to care about others. He much preferred the freedom of the unexpected, of that chance encounter waiting around the corner.

"Sorry to disappoint," Yuugi said with a cheeky grin.

"You've kissed him at least, right?" Jounochi persisted.

"Nope."

Anzu was rather quiet during Jounochi's questioning but it went unnoticed by the men in the room. It wasn't that she was jealous of Yuugi's new companion, but she found it strange how Yuugi was approaching the situation. He obviously liked Atemu to some extent if he brought him home, but waiting four days without making any kind of advancement was quite un-Yuugi like. She shook her head softly as Jounochi and Honda teased Yuugi about having not yet scored, and pushed aside her feelings as the unease that came from not having seen her childhood friend in years.

"I say the next time you see him you grab him and kiss him, get it over with so you can move on to more interesting things." Honda winked at Yuugi, who snorted his amusement.

"Just go and lay one on him with no warning, right?" Yuugi asked, smirking at the thought.

"If you warn him he might run away. Then you'd have to chase him down and that's just too much effort. It'd be better to save that energy for sex." Honda crossed his arms and nodded matter-of-factly.

"You implying I don't have stamina?" The four friends laughed heartily at Yuugi's comment. "Not everyone's like us, Honda," Yuugi said after calming his laughter. "Some people don't like to be rushed into things."

"Won't know 'till you try," Jounochi mumbled around a mouthful of pretzels.

"Assuming you want to, of course," Anzu said. "Do you want to?"

Yuugi leaned his head back against the recliner and looked at the ceiling in thought. To be honest, he hadn't really considered if he wanted to initiate a relationship with Atemu. He wasn't against it by any measure, but he had the feeling that Atemu was currently too vulnerable to attempt such an aggressive act. Even with his snippy attitude, Yuugi had grown fond of Atemu, and his desire to help him was increasing by the day. When alone in his bedroom Atemu dropped some of his defenses and allowed Yuugi to see the kind soul that lurked beneath the self-loathing and hurt façade. Yuugi had been a little careless with his words in the beginning, resulting in Atemu withdrawing from him. He didn't really want to see what an unwelcome act would do to their slowly building relationship.

"At least tell me he sleeps in your room?" Honda asked.

"Of course," Yuugi said.

"In your bed??" Jounochi's question was too eager for a man of his age.

"Once I was able to drag him off the floor. On the first night, when I was cleaning the kitchen, he found some blankets and a pillow in my closet and laid them out next to my bed on the floor. I had to literally pull him to his feet and push him down on my bed to convince him that he was not sleeping on the floor while he stayed with me."

Jounochi and Honda laughed at the imagery of Yuugi's story. "Ah man," Jounochi said, "that's rich. I can see you doing it too. You can be as stubborn as an ass."

Yuugi grinned. "It makes life so much easier when you get your own way."

"Where is he?" Anzu asked.

"I'm not really sure," Yuugi said. "He just said that he would be back later when he left this morning. He's coming back," Yuugi said, holding up his hand to halt his friends' questions. "He didn't take his bag, so he's coming back."

"Do we get to meet him?" Jounochi asked.

Shrugging, Yuugi stretched his legs out and rested his feet on the coffee table, crossing his ankles and folding his hands on his stomach. "Guess that all depends on if you're here when he is or not."

Yuugi fidgeted in his chair, arranging his legs several times before settling on sitting on his feet. Unexpectedly he found the thought of his friends meeting Atemu an uncomfortable notion. There was no foundation for this feeling and it had him confused. He'd been eager to introduce Jounochi to Anzu, Anzu to Honda, and had invited all of them to meet everyone else he had brought home. He tapped his fingers on his knee as his thoughts unwound themselves in his mind with the slothfulness of a slug.

Hmm. It was an interesting idea. Was he perhaps possessive over Atemu? Wanting to keep him secret and to himself until he had satisfied his own curiosity? He had done it before, and it wouldn't surprise him if he was doing it again. He liked having his secrets, enjoyed owning that one bit of information that no one else had. It made him feel… important. His family had the habit of making him feel like a burden rather than a member. This was the driving force behind many of their fights.

"… I think we should dare him."

Yuugi had tuned out his friends and the remark caught him off guard. "Dare who?"

"You of course," Jounochi said. "We were thinking you need to loosen up a bit now that you're home and since it doesn't look like you're going to do it yourself, we need to help you along." Honda closed his eyes and nodded in agreement while Anzu displayed a mischievous grin.

"What do you propose I should do?" Yuugi asked.

Yuugi's three friends looked at each other, a silent agreement passing between them, and Honda issued the challenge. "You are to kiss him."

Annoyance wasn't a strong enough word to convey Yuugi's feeling at that moment. "Oh come off it," he said, unfolding one leg and propping it on the coffee table. "What'll that do?"

"Entertain us," Jounochi said.

"Take your mind off family troubles," Anzu continued.

"And you haven't heard the whole dare yet. Not only are you to kiss, but you're to do it like you _mean_ it." A dark shadow of cleverness fell across Honda's face, and it became blatantly obvious to Yuugi that his friend was evil beneath that head of brown hair. "And, of course, you have to do it in front of us so you don't back out."

Anzu swiped at Yuugi's foot when he scowled. "Please, you're acting like we're torturing you or something."

"Meddling, absolutely," Yuugi said.

"You need to get this guy out of your system Yug," Jounochi offered. "If he's distracting you so much that you haven't even made an advance on him yet, you need to have your fun and get out."

"Leave it to a man to make it sound like a hit-and-run," Anzu muttered.

Yuugi rolled his eyes and stood, clasping his hands and stretching his arms high above his head. Releasing a loud sigh he shook himself to loosen his limbs and reached for the pretzel bag. "You'd think I've suddenly turned green or something," he said. "I'm not acting any different around him than I did around you three."

"You sure about that?" Honda asked.

Yuugi tossed a pretzel into his mouth in lieu of answering that question. "Stop trying to be insightful," he warned. "It doesn't suit you."

"Then prove us wrong," Jounochi said.

Yuugi turned his back on his friends and crossed his arms. Just what did they think he needed to prove? That he hadn't changed? He felt like some taught piece of rope that was being unceremoniously used in a game of tug-of-war. Family tells him to change, friends tell him to stay the same. Maybe the five of them should get together and draw up a plan for his life that _they_ could agree on. It would almost be worth it if it would get everyone off his back.

Perking up when he heard the side door open and close, Yuugi relaxed his arms and waited to see who had come home; his friends had gone quiet in their curiosity as well, momentarily forgetting their ribbing of Yuugi. The sound of shoes being removed and of feet walking up the stairs reached the quartet, shortly followed by a head of deep red hair. Yuugi stiffened when he saw Atemu. There could not have been a worse time for him to come home when his friends were over. Not when they were so adamant in proving a point to Yuugi about his reactions to his latest interest.

"Is that him?" Anzu whispered. She grinned widely when Yuugi nodded his head. "_Score_."

"Now's your chance to prove us wrong," Jounochi goaded.

"Get to it man," Honda said.

"We'll never let you live it down if you don't," Anzu concluded.

And Yuugi knew this was true. His friends were not a bunch who let you forget your embarrassing or less than stellar moments, especially when they were witnesses to the event. He could feel the three of them staring at his back, urging him to jump Atemu with all his prowess. As much as he didn't want too, he couldn't stand the pressure his friends were placing on him. He was already tense and edgy from four days of insults, tension, and fighting as a result of being home, not to mention the effort he had put into getting to know Atemu and breaking down his barriers. He couldn't fathom the added task of bearing the brunt of his friends if they were displeased.

Reacting before he could figure things out, Yuugi called to Atemu to halt his progress into the kitchen. He took hold of Atemu's wrist and looked him in the eye before placing his free hand behind Atemu's head and forcing his head down so he could kiss him. He ignored the sudden tension in the other body and focused on the kiss and getting it over with as quickly as possible. Yuugi closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to watch the confusion that no doubt had plastered itself onto Atemu's face.

Yuugi knew how to kiss. He knew how to softly invite his partner into applying pressure so they were pushing against each other. He knew how to coax lips apart with a gentle playing of his mouth, parting his lips just enough so the other person would have to follow the gesture in order to maintain the pleasurable contact. Knew how, with just the simplest of nibbles of his partner's lips, barely involving his teeth but certainly including the softer sides of his tongue, how to make someone's breath hitch and body lean towards him. And there was no greater pleasure than initiating a sweet French-kiss and, right when things were getting heated, draw away, inducing his partner to follow him and continue the kiss with a little more passion than before. Mutual participation added depth and heat and an overall heady sensation, making a kiss the most beautiful experience in the world.

Yuugi was not employing an ounce of his knowledge of kissing as he held Atemu somewhat stiffly. He felt his own actions to be aggressive, borderline intrusive, as he forced Atemu's mouth open and plunged his tongue in with no amount of skill or grace. It was kissing for the sake of kissing, with no emotion or reason behind it other than to prove a point to his friends. It didn't feel right to him. He wasn't enjoying it, and by Atemu's shuffling he was pretty sure the other man didn't like it either. Funny thing was, Atemu wasn't pulling away completely. He certainly had the strength to stop the kiss. Yuugi's brows furrowed in confusion, his kiss loosing momentum as Atemu settled into a rigid, but obliging, partner.

Hearing whistles and clapping distracted Yuugi from his thoughts. He withdrew his tongue and lips from Atemu's mouth and placed them by his ear, whispering a quick, "I'll explain later Até." He frowned at Atemu's grunt and the rough jerk to free his hand and push past Yuugi, marching purposefully back down the stairs. With the slam of the door that led to the backyard Yuugi winced. Atemu was pissed, and Yuugi couldn't really blame him. He wasn't happy with himself either.

"Alright Yug!"

"I knew you hadn't left us!"

"That's my boy!"

Yuugi turned his back to his friends, directing his scowl to the wall. "Happy now?" he asked, his voice flat.

"And some!" Jounochi shouted cheerfully. "Sorry we ever doubted you. Same ol' Yuugi. Wouldn't have you any other way."

"Right," Yuugi said slowly. "Same, old Yuugi."

88 8 88

_to be continued…_


	5. Hot Dinner

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Ahhh…. Sorry for the long delay between updates. To make it up to you this chapter is twice as long, and I moved one event up that was going to take place later. I hope you enjoy it!

Ocean

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Five – Hot Dinner_

The screen door slammed against the side of the house and bounced back on itself, throwing its alliance with the doorframe off so it no longer closed as securely as it once did. Atemu winced when he heard the metallic clang. Breaking the door had not been his intention, but now that he had he felt he might as well add to the guilt by picking up one of the plastic chairs and throwing it across the yard, where it bounced against the fence. The chair didn't break, to Atemu's surprise, and with his swirling emotions he wasn't sure if that satisfied him or not. Breaking something – well, breaking something intentionally, sounded awfully appealing.

What the fuck? It was the only phrase Atemu's mind could come up with and it was wholly unsatisfying. He didn't know if he was more shocked by Yuugi's actions, or his _reactions_, or the presence and applause of Yuugi's friends… He hadn't been this wound up since he read his parents artful letter informing him that he was not to return home until he had, and this was a laugh, _decided_ to live a life of honor rather than of sin and consented to marry the woman that had been chosen for him. Until that point, his parents no longer acknowledged they had a son.

His scowl deepened when he heard footsteps just inside the door, and he found himself tensing to turn and lash out at whoever had followed him. Fortunately no one approached the screen door and Atemu took the opportunity to stride into the middle of the yard as far away from people as he could manage. He contemplated jumping the chain link fence, but the idea wasn't appealing beyond the initial impulse. He settled for griping the top of the fence and stepping back with his right leg, stretching out his muscles before they had the chance to cramp on him further. He focused on his breathing, calming the rapid intake of breath to a more normal pace, and rolled his head in a circle. These actions wouldn't take the redness from his face or significantly alter his mood, but at least they would allow him to think more clearly. Hopefully. He was not feeling particularly rational at the moment.

Atemu was fully aware that his feelings for Yuugi were quickly escalating beyond that of acquaintance or friendship. It wasn't his choice, but he had never been able to curb his emotions when it came to romantic pursuits. He fell hard and fast, sometimes blindly, and had suffered the consequences. It was an annoying detail of his nature and one that he had yet to discover a cure for. He couldn't say he was particularly surprised that he was falling for Yuugi. The man was the first one to show concern for him in quite some time. Even if it was in a bit of a harsh, abrasive confidence that Atemu found both irritating and amusing. He was certain he was never going to appreciate being called Até.

This wasn't to say that Atemu felt the insane desire to jump into bed with Yuugi. But what it did represent was a deep affection that was satiated with attention, be it verbal or physical. It was curious to Atemu that Yuugi would lavish so much interest on a complete stranger. He knew he wasn't anything special or fascinating, except perhaps the fact that he was from a foreign country. He was certain, however, that his Egyptian heritage held no interest for Yuugi. His reaction in the elevator the first night they had met told him as much. It was a relief, actually, not to be questioned incessantly about his country's past; the favorite question was always, "Are you related to the pharaohs?!" And what if he was? It wasn't as if being related to royalty that lived four thousand years ago was going to aid him in any way in today's world. He was not some walking archaeological oddity waiting to be discovered.

Atemu brought his feet beneath him and bent his legs, sitting on his heels and keeping his arms stretched above him on the fence. He couldn't figure out why Yuugi had kissed him in such a… such an _intrusive_ way. He didn't know if Yuugi was experienced or not in the art of kissing, though he believed he was due to the confident approach the man had made towards him. But the kiss had been awful in so many aspects. It felt mechanical, reluctant, and downright forceful to the point that any possibility of pleasure was eliminated. Atemu had been shocked when the kiss began, but he became more and more angry as it continued and he noticed that he and Yuugi were not alone. The kiss had been a damn _exhibition_! And there was little else that Atemu loathed so much as being used and exploited, especially in front of witnesses.

His anger renewed itself. Past hurts and old wounds that had never healed properly resurfaced in vivid imagery and color. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

88 88 88

"Out!"

Jounochi laughed, skipping down the stairs ahead of his agitated friend and trying not to trip over Anzu and Honda in the stairwell. Anzu and Honda quickly put on their shoes, but the act could hardly be called conciliatory as they continued to bombard Yuugi with questions about the kiss and the possibility of a future night of free porn. Jounochi hopped around his two friends and reached for the door, looking back over his shoulder.

"So you'll call us if anything interesting happens?"

"_Out_!"

"Right, we'll call you," Honda said jovially. He put his hands on Anzu's shoulders and guided her out the door, both of them leaning against each other to support their amusement. Jounochi waved a final farewell.

Yuugi slammed the door behind his friends and fumed at the wood. His anger at himself for putting Atemu in that embarrassing position spilled over onto his friends who seemed only too happy to poke fun. They didn't mean any harm, he knew, but sometimes they simply didn't know where to draw the line. And when he drew it for them, the three would join hands and jump over it with triumph in their eyes. Normally this didn't bother him to the extent that he was bothered now, but when the fun overflowed onto another who didn't see the humor in the situation and they _didn't_ stop, Yuugi found that he had no patience for them. He certainly wasn't feeling any tolerance now.

Groveling wasn't in Yuugi's vocabulary, but asking for forgiveness was not a foreign act. Though Yuugi wasn't sure if it was forgiveness he wanted, or understanding. The only thing going through his mind was the real possibility that all the bridges he had built connecting him and Atemu had just been burned in a blazing fire that he'd willfully set himself. It was stupid and wrong and he had to fix it before things got further out of control.

Yuugi noticed the broken screen door as he went through it to the backyard. That wasn't a good sign any way he looked at it. Looking up, he noticed that his grandfather was also not going to be very happy about the condition of one of his beloved chairs that lay glistening in the sun on the wrong side of the yard. Yuugi wasn't really concerned about this, but the indications it gave him told him that he needed to approach Atemu cautiously. Looking around the yard, he spotted Atemu kneeling beside the fence, his arms stretched above his head and his fingers curled around the top rod. Carefully he made his way over to him.

Atemu made no movement of acknowledgment when Yuugi reached his side. He kept his head hung and his eyes closed, and Yuugi licked the inside of his lip as he tried to decide how best to break the silence. He hadn't really been in this position before, where he was this apprehensive about the possible fallout. He had a stabbing sensation in his chest; Yuugi realized then how strongly he did not want Atemu to leave his life. He didn't know why, only knew that it was true. It was a drowning sensation.

Taking a deep breath, Yuugi finally spoke. "Atemu?" Using his nickname now was a foolish idea. Atemu raised his head a little, but didn't otherwise respond. Yuugi decided to plunge ahead. "Let me explain-"

"I don't want to hear it," Atemu said harshly, standing and walking a few feet from Yuugi. He crossed his arms and turned his back to the man, not trusting himself to look Yuugi in the eye. "I don't care."

Yuugi chewed on his lip, a little confused. "You don't?" he asked softly, more to himself than to Atemu. "Why not?" he asked more loudly.

"Would it change anything?" Atemu asked curtly.

"Maybe how you thought of me."

Yuugi saw Atemu's shoulders sag a bit with his comment, and it gave him some hope that Atemu was at least willing to consider that Yuugi wasn't entirely evil. He didn't move any closer, not feeling it was safe to do so just yet. "I'm sorry," Yuugi said tenderly.

Atemu looked at Yuugi over his shoulder, an expression on his face that Yuugi couldn't place. "There's no need," Atemu finally said and turned to look into the alley. Yuugi was relieved to hear the calm tone that lacked any trace of its former malice.

"Oh, there's plenty of need," Yuugi said. "No one should be kissed like _that_." He chuckled. "Especially not in front of _my_ friends."

"You had something to prove to your friends. I get that."

Yuugi stopped chuckling. Though Atemu didn't sound angry, he also wasn't warming up to Yuugi. "You do?" Yuugi blurted out, and then bit his tongue in reprimand. That was a stupid question, and it did nothing but confirm that he had disregarded Atemu entirely for the sake of impressing his friends. Yuugi crossed his arms stiffly, lowering his gaze towards the ground. Somehow, Atemu being understanding was worse than him being upset. You couldn't apologize to someone who felt there wasn't a need for one, and without apologizing Yuugi couldn't relieve his guilt.

_Oh_. Well, that explained a lot, didn't it?

"I wasn't thinking," Yuugi said quietly, removing the trace of apology from his voice. "They had me so riled up I reacted- I didn't- I-…" He groaned in frustration. "Can I start over?"

Yuugi thought he heard the touch of a smile in Atemu's response. "Can you afford not to?"

A lopsided grin pulled its way onto Yuugi's face and he uncrossed his arms. He walked until he was standing in front of Atemu, which took a moment as Atemu kept turning playfully to make Yuugi earn the face-to-face. Once Atemu relented and let Yuugi look at him, Yuugi reached out and placed his hands on Atemu's biceps and squeezed gently, coaxing the arms to relax and fall freely. He pulled back and balanced his weight on one leg. He was rather proud of Atemu – and of himself – for being able to get the other man to relax so easily. Atemu hadn't shied away from his touch as Yuugi feared he might. Instead he had accepted the contact and remained still, though not uncomfortably so.

"I can kiss _much_ better than that," Yuugi said casually. "So much better. Even if I was going to force a kiss on you I could have made it enjoyable."

Atemu shrugged, avoiding Yuugi's gaze. "An enjoyable kiss is hard to come by," he said. "Anyway, you didn't force the kiss." His eyes looked at Yuugi briefly before turning away again. "I've had worse. Believe me. I would have pulled away if it was as bad as you seem to think it was."

Yuugi frowned. He really didn't like what he was hearing. "You've been kissed before?" He shook his head impatiently at Atemu's scowl. "I mean, of course you have, that's not what I meant. What I meant is that you've had that kind of bad kiss before?" The dark chuckle that was the response left Yuugi feeling cold.

"There's another kind?" Atemu sighed at Yuugi's expression. "_Kidding_," he said. "You're placing too much emphasis on this. It wasn't that big a deal."

"If it wasn't then why did you storm out the way you did?" Yuugi demanded.

Atemu hesitated, and the pause confused Yuugi enough to make him lean forward in earnest anticipation. Atemu rolled his shoulders, shoved his hands into the pockets in his jeans, and squeezed his eyes shut. There was a quiet moment before he said: "It wasn't you. It wasn't…" His eyebrows angled downward in response to the pain he was feeling inside. "It wasn't what you think it was."

Yuugi slapped his hands to his side, gesturing his frustration. "Then what was it?" he asked. "I don't understand what you're trying to say. It couldn't have been a _good_ thing. _I_ didn't even like it!" He didn't mean to shout; he was just able to rein in his voice so it sounded miffed rather than angry. It wasn't easy to do. What he once thought was a cute habit of avoiding straight answers was proving to be the bane of his existence. He turned on the spot and placed his hands on his hips. He glared at the yard for a moment and then whirled around, ready to pounce on Atemu and get some answers. What he saw, instead, was Atemu turning towards the house, his arms stiff at his sides and his head bowed.

"Please don't, Heba," Atemu whispered.

Yuugi froze. The pleading tone in Atemu's voice forced him to stay put as the other man entered the house and walked up the stairs. He replayed the conversation in his head, eyes darting back and forth as he watched the scene play itself out over and over again. This tactic didn't work. His emotions were too turbulent to simply watch the conversation. Taking a deep breath and focusing his thoughts, Yuugi bent his legs and sat on his heels, letting one hand rest on his knee and the other fold over his mouth.

Let's see, Yuugi thought. Atemu had been kissed before, kissed badly before, but that didn't really seem to bother him. Well, he didn't let it show that it bothered him, but Yuugi was certain it did. Only an unfeeling rock wouldn't be affected by someone kissing you mechanically. Maybe the badness of the kisses had been unintentional and it was disappointment that he felt? _I would have pulled away_, Atemu had said. He would have pulled away… It meant he had pulled away before. It was no stretch of Yuugi's imagination to believe that if Atemu didn't like something he would leave. This was an interesting thought, however. Atemu _hadn't_ left after the kiss, despite storming out of the house and hitting the screen door hard enough to break it.

_I would have pulled away_… There was something about that phrase that was important and it irritated Yuugi to know that he wasn't seeing it. He had to go back further. Back to the kiss. Now, he had walked up to Atemu and pulled his head down, forcing their mouths together. He'd kept a firm grip on Atemu's arm to hold him in place, and put pressure on the back of his head to maintain contact from both participants. Atemu had jerked and tried to pull back. Yuugi held on to him more tightly, prepared for a struggle to hold the kiss in place, surprised when Atemu suddenly stopped struggling and relented to Yuugi's hold. Atemu had kept his mouth open to ease the kiss without his having to respond.

Yuugi remembered that Atemu stopped struggling. The initial tug of his attempt to escape had been great and, with his added height, Yuugi knew that he was not strong enough to hold Atemu against his will. _You didn't force the kiss_. I didn't force the kiss. He didn't pull away. I-

Yuugi's eyes burst open and he stared dumbly toward the house. Oh god, really? So soon? He fell that quickly? Yuugi wasn't sure what to make of this revelation. It was nothing like he thought it would be. He'd never considered it a possibility! How far did it go? Was it a passing crush? Or something more? What now? Was he supposed to interact differently or pretend he knew nothing? Was it even possible to act ignorant?

_You didn't force the kiss_.

I didn't force the kiss.

He didn't break away.

He didn't _run_ away.

A shaky smile appeared on Yuugi's lips, fluttering with the permanence of a butterfly in flight. How cool was this? How cool was it to find someone who felt deeply for you after only a few days? Perhaps he should be skeptical, but at the moment all Yuugi could feel was a light joy that outshone the clouds that had pervaded his mood since the arrival of his friends. He stood confidently and strode to the screen door. He hesitated before going inside. The sudden arrival of elation quickly melted into concern and confusion. Atemu was probably experiencing some reversed Florence Nightingale syndrome. Yeah, that made more sense. Those starving for attention and affection found themselves quickly attaching to the first person who fulfilled those needs. That's what was happening to Atemu. He liked Yuugi for showing an interest in him, and he was ashamed that he would ask for more from his host. That was all there was to it. Yuugi was fine with this turn of events.

He didn't _believe_ any of this, but he was willing to go along with the plot until he had a chance to straighten things out for himself. Only then could he approach Atemu. To guide him, all Yuugi had to do was remember one thing, and from this his path would become clear when he was ready to tread on it.

_I didn't force the kiss. And he didn't pull away._

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For Gina, the two hours spent cooking from the moment she got home from work could not have passed more quickly. Her apron was askew on her waist and her arms were covered in flour from the rapid mixing of her scratch-bake biscuits. Her fry pan was sizzling enthusiastically. Her cutting board was smeared with tomato juice and the bits of zucchini that didn't make it into the salad. The miniature fan Gina had placed on top of the refrigerator when she began her marathon of cooking was struggling to keep the heat out of the kitchen. Gina allowed herself to pause at the sink and push her hair out of her face with the back of her hand.

"Yuugi!" Gina called out.

"Almost done mom!"

Gina mentally checked off the cleaning of the bathroom from her list of things to be done and turned her attention to her father. "Dad!"

"All swept!"

Good, Gina thought. She had been trying for weeks to get her father to sweep the front and back porches. If forcing his new girlfriend over for dinner was the only way to motivate him, then so be it. She might be coming over quite often. That only left two more things to do: clean all the glass in the house, minus the windows, and set the table. Taking the time to stir the contents of her fry pan, Gina got out the dinnerware and the table cloth and set them on the table. "Dad, could you-? Oh, thanks," Gina said, noticing that Sugoroku was attacking the glass top on the dining room table. "OK, then, Yuugi-?"

"Showering!"

Gina huffed. Yuugi had the worst – or perhaps the most convenient – timing for jumping into the shower when his help was needed. This left only two options, and Gina was too busy to entertain the first one. "Atemu?!" she called out before returning her attention to her dinner. If the man was going to live in her house then he was going to be treated as any family member would be. He was as subject to chores as the rest of them.

Atemu walked into the kitchen and placed his hands on the back of one of the chairs. "Yes, Gina?"

"Would you set the table? Oh, and would you be so kind as to motivate my son to make a respectable appearance at the table tonight? None of his casual wear, and _definitely_ no shorts!"

Atemu suppressed the smile that tried to form and cleared his throat lightly. Gina believing that he had that amount of influence over Yuugi was comical. Though having only known Yuugi for a few days, Atemu was well aware of the walking fortress of will that Yuugi presented. Influencing the man to do anything was a monumental task, especially when he was willing to do the task all along and was simply testing how far he could push someone. "I make no promises."

Gina nodded. "Well, dinner's ready. I'm going to go upstairs and dress. You can as soon as you're done with the table." She untied her apron and bunched it in her hand, walking quickly down the hall to her room. Gina took the opportunity to bang on the bathroom door to harass Yuugi, who shouted his exasperation, and disappeared behind her bedroom door. Yuugi emerged a few moments later and ran to his room, closing _his_ door, and Sugoroku took the absence of his family as the signal it was to run into the kitchen, steal a taste of dinner, and go to his room to absolve himself of suspicion.

Atemu watched the antics as the Motou family disappeared into their respective bedrooms. He shook his head, smiling as he continued to lay out the silverware. The dynamic between the three generations provided him with endless amusement. He sincerely doubted that the family was aware of how endearing they were when together and not bickering. It saddened him to know that he was not part of the warmness they exuded. Yuugi accepted him, of course, but there wasn't anything more on his part than acquaintance curiosity. Sugoroku was rather indifferent to him, and Gina was not shy about letting it be known she did not like him being in her house. Though she did take advantage of his extra pair of hands when it came to housework. She was an opportunistic woman, to be certain.

Finishing the table, Atemu decided to intrude on Yuugi so he could get dressed as well. He was met with a pillow in the face when he opened the bedroom door.

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"That was a lovely dinner, Gina." The woman smiled brilliantly, if not a little hesitantly. "Thank you." She turned in her chair to address the young man across the table, raising her glass towards him. "And to you, Atemu. I'd say the wine was a smart addition to the table."

Sarah hadn't meant the comment to mean anything, so she missed the disapproval that washed over Gina's face when she complemented Atemu for improving the meal. It was intimidating to say the least to be in the presence of the Motou family and their recent addition. She loved Sugoroku dearly and was willing to endure their scrutiny, but it left her feeling restless. You would think that at her age she was past embarrassment and shyness, but all it meant was that she had experienced the emotions many more times than the younger generations. "May I help you clear the table?"

"We'll let the boys do that," Gina said, pointedly looking at Yuugi and Atemu and ignoring her son's put-upon sigh. When the two were busy clattering dishes in the sink Gina turned to her father. "You never told me how you two met."

Sugoroku looked at his daughter for a moment before answering. "We met at a movie theatre, actually. It was quite embarrassing."

"Oh, it wasn't that bad," Sarah said, chuckling.

"Maybe not for you. At least you knew how to read your ticket."

"I'm not following," Gina interrupted.

Sarah reached over and patted Sugorku's hand. "Your father meant to see a movie that was playing in a different theatre, and instead he walked into mine and didn't realize his mistake until the movie started." She smiled at Sugoroku's groan. "Now now, we've all done it."

"I'm sure," Sugoroku grumbled. "But I doubt many have had someone feel the need to escort them to the right theatre!"

"I didn't think you needed escorting," Sarah said. "I just thought you were cute."

"It must have been the bandana," Yuugi said as he took his seat at the table, having finished tending to the dishes. "All fashionable seniors are wearing them."

"Get your foot off the table," Gina scolded her son. Yuugi casually removed his foot from the edge of the table, lowering his chair back onto all four legs.

"Among other things," Sarah said, chuckling.

"I don't understand why you couldn't have told us about her, dad," Gina said.

"Yeah," Yuugi agreed, leaning forward on the table with his arms crossed. "It's not like we'd bite her head off." He winked at Sarah, who grinned in return. "We might twist it a little, but we'd never bite it off. It's too messy."

"Yuugi!"

"It's alright dear," Sarah said to Gina. "No harm done. I've a son too. I'm well acquainted with young male humor."

"Or the lack thereof," Atemu offered, passing by Yuugi's chair and playfully pushing his head to the side. Yuugi stuck his tongue out at him.

"Alright, smartass," Yuugi said. "If you want the attention on you. Where did you go earlier today? You were gone for hours."

Atemu reached for his wineglass and swirled the maroon liquid. "I was looking for a job." He took a sip.

"A job?" Gina asked. "Already? Aren't you new to town?"

Atemu shrugged. "New or not, money is still a required asset." He wasn't sure what the 'already' comment meant, but he wasn't interested in finding out. Seeing the expression on Yuugi's face was enough to tell him to leave it alone.

"Were you able to find one, dear?" Sarah asked.

"Mm-hmm," Atemu said around his glass. "It actually wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be."

"What do you do?" Yuugi asked.

"Business consultant."

"Wow, really?!" Yuugi turned to face Atemu fully, his excitement quite evident. "That's awesome! Where'd you get hired?"

"Some business called Kaiba Corporations." Atemu frowned thoughtfully when Yuugi's jaw dropped. "What? Was that a bad choice?"

"A bad choice?" Sugoroku echoed. "My boy, you could not have picked a better place if you're truly a business man."

"You've never heard of Kaiba Corporations before?" Gina asked, stunned.

"No," Atemu said, suddenly feeling the pressure of being the center of attention. "Of course," he said, "I haven't really paid attention to any business outside of Egypt. At least, not any business that didn't have a contract with the company I was working for."

"Then why did you choose Kaiba Corporations if you didn't know anything about it?" Sugoroku asked.

"It was the tallest building in the city. Which also means it's the most successful business," Atemu explained.

"Doesn't that just make it harder to get into?" Sarah inquired. Her tone did not hold the disbelief that Sugoroku and Gina had, and for that reason Atemu was thankful for her participation in what felt like an interrogation.

"Not if you know how to handle successful people," Atemu said. "And I don't intimidate easily. Well," he lifted his glass to his mouth and lowered his eyes, "at least not in the business world." These last words were muttered into his glass before he finished his drink in one swallow.

Yuugi, who had been silent for some time, finally closed his mouth and grinned widely. "_Awesome_." He turned to his mother. "Can you imagine the expression that must have been on Seto's face when Até walked in?" He turned back to Atemu. "What'd you do to make him hire you?"

"Told him how he could increase efficiency and thereby boost his sales by fifteen percent by next quarter." Atemu waved his hand. "He would have figured it out anyway, I'm sure. But the trick, you see, is making them believe that they _wouldn't_ have without your help." He smiled mischievously; he thoroughly enjoyed the abject delight on Yuugi's face as he told his story. "Do you know him?"

"Unfortunately," Yuugi said, chuckling. "Not well, though. We went to high school together, had some classes together, but nothing beyond that, really."

"I'll be sure to give him your regards." Atemu was punched in the shoulder for his offer.

"How much will you be making?"

Atemu was caught off-guard by the question, but before he could answer Yuugi rose to his defense. "Ji-chan!" he exclaimed. "You don't just ask people that! Don't answer that," he directed towards Atemu.

"It's not an inappropriate question Yuugi," Gina defended. "He is living here. It's reasonable to expect him to help out financially."

"Let me get this straight," Yuugi said, gritting his teeth. Atemu tried to interject but he couldn't overcome Yuugi's anger. "We're charging our _guests_ rent now?"

"Well, he's hardly a guest, Yuugi," Sugoroku said.

"What?"

"We're not expecting anything out of him that we haven't expected out of the others," Gina insisted. "And if he's working for Seto, it's not going to hurt him to help out."

"So if he'd gotten a job that paid him minimum wage you wouldn't expect him to pay anything?" Yuugi demanded.

Atemu chewed on his lip as the tension continued to rise between the family members. He stole a glance at Sarah, who looked at him with the same sense of hopelessness that he was feeling. He tried again to interrupt, to explain that the reason he had found the job was so he could contribute to the finances while he stayed with the Motous, but the family was too engulfed in their argument to remember that he or Sarah were at the table. It wasn't long before the three of them stood and moved their conversation outside at Sugoroku's insistence, leaving Atemu and Sarah to stare dumbly after them. Atemu winced in guilt when there was a shout about a broken screen door.

"Anyway," Sarah said to break the awkward silence. She waited until Atemu was looking at her before raising her wine glass. She smiled kindly at him. "This was damn good wine. Come over here and share the rest of this bottle with me. I hate to drink alone."

Atemu laughed lightly and moved himself to the chair Sarah was patting, and the two spent the next hour getting to know each other better.

88 88 88

Yuugi yawned, closing his bedroom door behind him. The fight between him and his elders didn't last all that long, and by the time they'd come back inside Atemu and Sarah were fully engaged with anecdotes and sweet wine. He had sat down to join them while his mother and grandfather went into the kitchen to prepare dessert. Sarah had gone home a little while ago, and the family had retired to their nightly routine of Sugoroku reading at the kitchen table, Gina working on crossword puzzles in the living room, and Yuugi hanging out in his bedroom.

He noticed Atemu next to the bed, pulling on a black sweatshirt that Yuugi had loaned him. "You cold?"

"Yeah, a little," Atemu said, pulling back the covers on the bed and sitting on the edge, facing Yuugi. "It's the wine. I'm always cold after I drink it."

"That must be annoying." Yuugi went into his closet to change for bed. "You and Sarah seemed to be getting along."

"I like her," Atemu said. "She's really sweet. And smart!" Yuugi could hear the admiration in Atemu's voice and it made him chuckle. "Do you know she was debating me on some of my theories? And they were _good_ arguments. I tell you, your grandfather should put her to use in his store. She'd double the business in a heartbeat."

Yuugi emerged from his closet in his plaid lounge pants and white T-shirt and leaned against the doorframe. "Sounds like she won you over."

"And how."

"You're so easy," Yuugi teased. He sat next to Atemu on the bed. "I wanted to ask you something." Atemu nodded his head, looking at him easily. Yuugi liked looking at Atemu's eyes at night. The light from his bedside table reflected off his russet eyes, making them reflect shades of red that sparkled with star-shinning luminosity. It brought them alive while at the same time softening them, inviting Yuugi to partake in their splendor for as long as he chose. He was indulging himself tonight.

"You called me 'Heba' earlier today," Yuugi said softly. "What does that mean?"

The smile on Atemu's face faltered, but only for a moment, and his eyes fell to the side towards the bed. He had said that, hadn't he? He was hoping Yuugi hadn't heard or wouldn't remember. It revealed more than he wanted to right now. He entertained the thought of brushing it off as a slip into his native tongue, but when he looked at Yuugi he knew that he could not lie to him. The idea just wasn't appealing.

"It's just a name," Atemu said. "It doesn't have any special meaning."

"What does it mean?" Yuugi asked, curious at Atemu's sudden act of shyness. He knew it meant something if Atemu was uncomfortable being asked about it. Yuugi leaned forward, bending down and over until he was nearly nose-to-nose with Atemu, smiling encouragingly when he got his attention. He withheld a snicker when he saw Atemu attempt to hold down the slight redness in his cheeks.

"Game," Atemu said. "That's all. Just a word that slipped into my Japanese."

"Hmm," Yuugi hummed. That was interesting, wasn't it? Atemu, so dead set against having a nickname, had gone and nicknamed Yuugi in his head. It was rather sweet, really, and it made Yuugi believe that perhaps Atemu didn't dislike his nickname as much as he protested.

Atemu coughed nervously. "Anyway," he said to divert the conversation. "I'm more than happy to pay my way here. It's the least I can do for the roof and the food. It's why I got the job after all."

Yuugi was only half listening, lost in his own examination of Atemu, but he was able to get the gist of what Atemu said. "That's why you got the job?" He found his heart wrench a little for reasons he couldn't explain. "You didn't need to, you know," he said, his voice soft with sincerity. "I invited you here. You're a guest, not a tenant. You shouldn't feel the pressure of having to pay for your space."

Atemu rolled his shoulders. "I was starting to get bored, too," he admitted. "I'm used to working, not sitting around."

"Ever heard of a vacation?" Yuugi ribbed. Atemu laughed heartily, smiling his beautiful smile and shaking his head. "Nope," Atemu said, and continued chuckling. His good humor settled itself, and then died completely when Yuugi scooted closer to him and leaned forward, very close. Atemu's eyes widened a bit in surprise and his mouth went dry. "What are you doing?" he asked breathily.

"You have a great smile," Yuugi said. "Did you know that?" When Atemu didn't answer he raised his hand, letting his fingertips trail over Atemu's temple and into his hair. "You probably don't believe it," he said to himself, not completely aware that Atemu could hear him. Yuugi twirled a few strands of Atemu's hair slowly through his fingers, revealing its burgundy shimmer in the lamp light. "You're handsome too."

"… am not…" Atemu mumbled, uncomfortable with the attention. He turned his head away, but Yuugi moved with him, running his hand through his hair again. Atemu couldn't help it; his eyes closed at the gentle touch and his lips parted to release the heat that was building within his chest. This wasn't what he wanted. Yuugi wasn't supposed to get this close. "You don't need to do this," he whispered, trying to convince Yuugi to stop his ministrations. "We're over what happened earlier-"

"Need?" Yuugi said, distractedly.

Atemu opened his eyes and looked at Yuugi. He noticed the seriousness in the other man's eyes, and the depth of their blue color had swirled into hues of royal purple. He swallowed reflexively at the emotion he saw.

"No, there's no need," Yuugi said. He brought himself even closer to Atemu, pressing the sides of their legs together and resting his fingers just above Atemu's ear. He smiled briefly, and tilted his head back so he was looking down his nose at Atemu's mouth. The change in posture halted whatever response Atemu had been prepared to make. "It's not about need." He lowered his chin and rubbed the tip of his nose along Atemu's cheekbone. "Say it for me, Até," he murmured.

"What?" Atemu asked.

"What you called me earlier," Yuugi said. He closed his eyes and let his lips touch Atemu's cheek, not in a kiss, but in a prelude to one. He drew back slowly, and hesitated just before his lips reached the corner of Atemu's mouth. "I like it." He put more pressure against Atemu's face with his own, emphasizing his words. "Say it…"

Atemu sighed deeply, inhaling and exhaling to savor the moment. His senses were no where near coherent and he wasn't entirely sure what it was Yuugi was asking from him. This was the reason his response came in the form of a question: "Heba?"

"_Yes_," Yuugi sighed, and turned his head the remaining distance to kiss Atemu fully.

This was one of Yuugi's _good _kisses, and he knew it was true because of the excitement he was feeling and the hushed sound Atemu made when he chose to release his upper lip in exchange for his bottom lip and bite down gently. The pressure was just enough to be pleasurable without being painful. Yuugi so enjoyed the feeling that he opened his mouth and pulled away only to instantly repeat the act with a little more force. He hummed a little in pleasure, and altered the kiss so he was kissing both of Atemu's lips simultaneously. He flattened his hand against Atemu's head and rubbed his thumb slowly over his cheek while keeping his head in place. With his free hand Yuugi held on to Atemu's arm to better balance himself and give him leverage.

Atemu followed Yuugi's movements, but it wasn't active involvement, his mind far too engaged in his emotions to make any conscious decisions. But Yuugi didn't mind. Even though he preferred active participation, Atemu was excellent at receiving a kiss, acknowledging the effort made with just enough pressure to encourage the kiss to continue. He wasn't overly vocal, but Yuugi was able to coax short moans and sharp breaths on occasion. Yuugi viewed it as a challenge and worked happily to achieve his reward. He didn't involve his tongue much, just the briefest of touches every now and then, taking pleasure in the sense of anticipation that danced in the air.

Yuugi took his time satisfying his desire to feel Atemu and give him a proper kiss, slow and gentle, unrushed and thoroughly enjoyed. When he thought he was done he held a single kiss for several moments, intent on ending the kiss to see Atemu's reaction. He wasn't prepared for the returning pressure he felt just before he was going to pull back, and he found himself responding very quickly and instinctively. Yuugi tilted his head to the opposite side and was met with such emotion that he moaned himself into the kiss.

Though the kiss didn't increase in speed, it did increase in intensity, and Yuugi began the intricate dance of his French kiss, lolling his tongue against Atemu's lips and nipping at them, pulling away and pushing in to heighten the feel of being together. The silence in the room only served to focus Yuugi more onto Atemu, and the hands that he eventually felt on either shoulder encouraged him to push forward. Atemu responded, slowly leaning backwards towards the bed as Yuugi followed him down, not interrupting the kiss, _unwilling _to allow it to be interrupted. He propped himself above Atemu, allowing the hand that had been on the other man's arm to slide over to the side of his chest and rub gently up and down.

Atemu raised his head to increase the kiss, and Yuugi met him with equal force. He finally pushed his tongue past Atemu's lips and into his mouth, searching out and finding his tongue and proceeding to caress and circle around it. Consciously, Yuugi was not aware of the pure emotion Atemu was pouring into him, but subconsciously his body responded and urged him to feel and taste to his heart's content and Atemu's bliss. It was quite late when Yuugi and Atemu fell asleep, their mouths pleasingly sore.

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_to be continued…_


	6. Reminisce

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: I could give you a long list of excuses as to why this took so long and why responses to reviews were not forthcoming, but there's only one that's actually true: I was sick. And I became a ditz because I was sick and couldn't write for beans. I haven't struggled through a chapter like this for a while, but I still think it came out well. Let me know what you think!

- Ocean

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Six – Reminisce_

Sugoroku raised his eyes from the newspaper when the strange sound of humming entered the kitchen. His grandson was practically bouncing while he rummaged through the pantry for breakfast, humming a tune Sugoroku had never before heard. The young man was still in his pjs, including that awful pair of plaid pants that he insisted upon wearing. There was a sly grin on his face, satisfaction oozing out of every move he made. Sugoroku huffed when Yuugi removed a spatula from the drawer and flipped it in the air once before catching and applying it to the skillet on the stove.

"Morning," Sugoroku said.

"Good morning!"

Sugoroku tilted his head at the enthusiastic greeting. It wasn't that Yuugi wasn't a morning person, but his cheerfulness never fully coalesced before eleven o'clock for reasons only known to the young man. The humming was beginning to make the grandfather uncomfortable with its airy melody. "You're humming," Sugoroku announced.

"Am I?" Yuugi asked, moving away from the stove to stick his head in the refrigerator. Ah, there was the cheese he'd forgotten. Sugoroku grunted in acknowledgment. "I hadn't noticed."

Folding his newspaper in half and laying it on the table, Sugoroku leaned forward, eyeing his grandson suspiciously. Yuugi continued to entertain himself as he made a sloppy attempt at an omelet, completely oblivious to the concern he was developing in his grandfather. Sugoroku eventually leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, deciding to take the chance of gaining Yuugi's attention once he had sat down at the table with his breakfast.

"I'm starving," Yuugi said to himself as he sat, plate and juice in hand. He leaned back on the chair, tipping it onto its hind legs and reached into the silverware drawer for a fork. He wasted no time in stuffing his mouth full of omelet. "Did you see Atemu leave this morning Ji-chan?" Yuugi asked after swallowing.

"No." Sugoroku picked up his coffee mug and took a sip of his morning tea. "Think I heard the front door, though. Around five o'clock."

"Hmm." Yuugi chewed thoughtfully on his next mouthful. "Damn, that's early. He's quiet, I never heard him leave the room." He stabbed at his eggs and took a drink of his apple juice. He twisted his mouth to the side, thinking how late he, ahem, _kept_ Atemu up the night before. Of course, the man had made no indication that he had needed or wanted to stop, but still, he should have said something. If anything, Yuugi would have started the activities sooner.

Sugoroku wasn't sure what to make of the smirk that slowly grew on his grandson's face while he pierced the food on his plate. There was a private conversation going on in Yuugi's head and he didn't particularly want to know what was being said. Sighing lightly, he set down his mug and picked up his newspaper, returning to the financial section. "What are your plans for the day?" he asked idly.

"Oh, I dunno," Yuugi said, shaking off his thoughts. He chuckled. "I should probably take a look at the screen door." He looked at his grandfather's expression and amended his statement, clearing his throat sheepishly. "I mean, I _will_ look at the door. Right after I finish eating."

"That's what I thought you said."

> - - - - - - -

The décor of the building was about what he expected. Sleek, cut-lined furniture with minimal decorations in deep earth tones of brown, white, and rainforest green, with hints of clear-water blue accents interspersed between the bouquets of lilies, cherry blossoms, and white irises. The office equipment coordinated with the color scheme well, and the computers were as deep a black as he had seen on any electronic. The secretaries wore their hair up in buns and French braids, their business suits surprisingly bright and crisp in color. He hadn't seen a single male employee that wasn't wearing an expensive three piece suit.

Atemu opened the glass door and entered the front office of the reference department. He smiled at the woman behind the desk, who greeted him in turn, and asked for the safety reports dating from four years back. When she had left to gather the information Atemu exited the room and started walking back to his temporary office. He had had the foresight to keep one of his business suits before leaving Egypt, though it wasn't his favorite one. The white dress shirt with silver threading matched with the navy blue slacks and jacket was too flashy for him, and also had the annoying detail of closely resembling Seto Kaiba's choice color of uniform. It was bad enough being the new guy in the office – though he secretly enjoyed the power that came from being a mystery – but to look as though you were emulating the boss… it just didn't produce a good image.

Reaching his office, a refreshingly small space with a floor-to-ceiling window that offered a twelfth-story view of the city, Atemu kept his door open as he sat at his desk. There wasn't much he could do until he got the reports from Reference, he wasn't hungry, and he didn't feel like teaching himself the company's main computer program. He had taken a quick look at it earlier and it appeared relatively simple, though he had noticed that some of the other employees were having difficulty with it. He'd have to organize a training session once he learned the program himself. You couldn't expect a company to be efficient if the employees were not capable of using the tools provided for them.

Atemu removed his jacket and draped it over the back of his chair before swiveling towards the window. He'd kept himself effectively occupied the entire morning for the explicit purpose of _not_ letting his mind drift to the events of the previous night. He didn't _want_ to think about it, especially during work.

The whole evening had been weird. It wasn't a bad weird because he had come to accept the treatment his was going to receive from Sugoroku and Gina. Sarah had been a pleasant surprise, and Atemu hoped that he would have the chance to converse with her again. He missed the grandparent support he had lost in Egypt, and Sarah had been so unnecessarily kind towards him. There was no question in his mind why Sugoroku admired her, and he was certain that the woman would win over Gina with her charm despite what the young woman wanted to believe. And Yuugi appeared to like anyone who called him on being a smartass.

Damn. Yuugi had the irritating habit of popping into his head. He could not, for the life of him, come up with a reason for Yuugi's actions. And his _words_. God, did the man know what to say to get him to submit to his will. Atemu was discouraged by his own lack of resistance to the seduction the younger one had pulled him through. He hadn't realized until the events unfolded just how needy he was for affection. Granted, he had a crush on Yuugi, but that didn't excuse succumbing to sweet talk and a well-timed brush against his cheek. It had been downright embarrassing.

Atemu sighed heavily, resting his head on his hand and tossing his right leg over his knee. Such pretty, pretty words. 'You have a great smile.' 'You're handsome.' 'You're _easy_.'

He groaned. Oh, 'easy' didn't even cover it in his opinion.

It was a little confusing, but Atemu couldn't say that part of him hadn't expected Yuugi to make a move on him. Not for any egotistical reasons, but anyone who brought home a stranger and insisted that they share a bed every night did not, in his mind, have many adversities to intimacy. Leaving out the whole kissing in front of his friends, of course. That was a pretty dead giveaway.

It would be nice if Atemu could believe what Yuugi had told him. He didn't, but it would be nice if he could. He had no doubt that Yuugi felt some kind of fondness towards him, but he wasn't going to deceive himself into thinking it was anything deep or fulfilling. This thought floated in his mind like a cork in water, bobbing along, never quite sinking below the surface of certainty. What was the whole in the cork that kept it afloat? The answer to that was obvious.

That first kiss, the one Yuugi had given him before he had responded and the kissing continued, had been sweet, and gentle, and completely detached in the manner of one exhibiting his skills. Yuugi was a master kisser, and Atemu had expected this. What he hadn't expected was his own reaction to the other's mouth on his. His mind had been overridden by his emotions, and he was going to believe the wine influenced him too until his dying day. It… it had been a long time since anyone had dinned to give him a pleasant kiss, and the hurt inside of him had jumped at the chance to feel special, if even for an illusionary moment. Yuugi's response when Atemu had kissed him in an effort to not end the experience – well, that _had _been a surprise. Yuugi was no longer detached, and the forceful tenderness of his embrace had lasted well over an hour. Well over an hour of someone actually wanting to make him feel good. And then a nighttime of someone using his chest as a pillow and his stomach as a hand rest in order to provide comfort.

Atemu wasn't sure how to cope with this.

A knock on his door jolted him out of his reminiscing. "Sir?" It was the woman from Reference with the requested files under her arm. Atemu coughed and waved her in, taking the files and thanking her for her time. On her way out she was blocked by a tall, slender man in the doorway. Keeping her eyes averted from her boss, she muttered a small "Excuse me, sir," before leaving the office.

"Busy?"

Atemu shook his head and extended his hand, inviting Seto Kaiba to sit in the chair opposite him. The president of the company considered the invitation, unaccustomed to not being greeted on foot when he entered a room, but decided that he had been shown no disrespect and sat in the proffered chair.

"How can I help you?" Atemu asked, shuffling the reports to the side of his desk.

Seto was quiet, keeping a steady, emotionless expression as he examined Atemu. After several moments, during which Seto was impressed that Atemu didn't squirm, or even appear nervous, he spoke. "I reviewed the figures we spoke about yesterday."

"Yes?"

Seto narrowed his eyes. "They would have been discovered by the end of the week."

"I have no doubt they would have," Atemu said.

"You endeavored to make me believe otherwise."

Atemu sat back in his chair, resting his hands in his lap. "I can't make you believe anything, Mr. Kaiba. You draw your own conclusions."

Seto's mouth twitched. "Conclusions based upon the opinion and advice of others."

"Then you should be careful who you listen to."

There was a tense moment where neither man spoke nor moved. Atemu waited patiently for Seto to make his comment, unconcerned that whatever was coming wouldn't be in his favor. Eventually, a smirk appeared on Seto's face. "Indeed." He stood and walked to the door, pausing to address Atemu. "Is there anything you need?"

Atemu thought for a moment. "A company car would be nice. I hate buses and taking cabs every day is expensive and unreliable."

"Wouldn't it be easier to buy a car?" Seto asked, the barest hint of amusement in his voice.

"Perhaps," Atemu said, reaching for the file on his desk and referring to the first page, a smile on his face. "But I don't know the first thing about cars."

Smirking, Seto closed his eyes and nodded, leaving Atemu's office. Once he was gone, Atemu let the irritation show on his features and huffed.

"If only I could be like that around Yuugi…" he muttered.

> - - - - - - -

Yuugi was having a good day.

The screen door hadn't been nearly as difficult to mend as he was afraid it was going to be, and this had allotted him an entire afternoon twiddling away the hours on his harmonica, replaying melodies he would have preferred to execute on the piano. He had moved Sugoroku's beloved patio furniture to the far end of the yard, distancing himself from the house and the comments he was sure to receive if his grandfather heard his playing. Yuugi handled the instrument well, but his greatest pleasure came in sneaking up on his family and playing the shrillest note ever heard by human ears. It had earned him quite a few retaliatory bruises, and in his opinion each one was a proud souvenir of battle.

While he was playing Yuugi's mind was swimming through the clouds. Ah, life was never so grand as when there was a new special someone in your life. Learning all the little nuances, the little quirks and behaviors that comprised a person and all their secrets was a joyful pursuit. He felt no confusion about the previous evening. Although he had been the one to initiate the make-out session, he had run across no surprises. No real surprises, anyway. He hadn't taken the time to discover any of Atemu's more sensitive areas, his focus being entirely on the kisses, the soft, deep-throated moans of pleasure, his luxurious hair, the texture of his lips and that devilishly cooperative tongue. Yuugi played an upscale on his harmonica. Yes, it had been quite enjoyable.

Yuugi inhaled the slightly fragrant air that circulated in the backyard from the alleyway, releasing it a touch more quickly than he had initially intended. Atemu had been more… not necessarily submissive, but, well, accepting than he had expected him to be? No, that wasn't right. Yuugi shook his head lightly in thought. He didn't know how to explain it accurately. Atemu had absorbed everything Yuugi had given him, and he never showed signs of being too full or overwhelmed by the emotional intensity they experienced. In fact, when Yuugi had pulled away from the final kiss as Atemu followed him up part-way, he had had the distinct impression that the other man's reservoir was no where near being full and that he was capable of taking all that Yuugi had left to give.

He tilted his head to the side, propping his feet on the table. Strange, Yuugi thought, that even with the feeling of Atemu absorbing the emotion, Yuugi had never felt drained or used. Quite the opposite, for he had found his energy to bound to heights he didn't know he possessed. The more Atemu took, the more Yuugi had to give, and he had been pleasantly surprised to feel the electricity sparking through his limbs as he laid quietly on Atemu's chest and listened to the other man's heartbeat while he fell asleep.

Yuugi was distracted by the sound of footsteps, and he looked up to see Anzu walking down the alley. Smiling broadly we waved to her. He chuckled when she casually hopped the fence and walked over to him, using her fingers to try and brush some obedience into her hair. Yuugi invited her to sit.

"Heard you playing from the sidewalk," Anzu said by way of greeting. "Did your grandfather kick you out of the house again?"

Yuugi laughed, removing his feet from the table so Anzu would have a more pleasant view than the bottom of his shoes. "No. No, I figured I'd go for self-preservation today to throw him off pace."

"You're awful," Anzu chuckled. Yuugi inclined his head in gratitude. "So how are things?"

Yuugi gave his friend a long side-glance, his lips twitching in amusement. "You mean, how's Atemu, right?"

"Among other things." Anzu took the harmonica from Yuugi and began twirling it in her hands. The sun reflected brilliantly off the rich birch wood. "You still mad at us?"

"Always!" Yuugi winked at his friend, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands behind his head. "But I'm over it now." A smile graced his features, and his blue eyes glossed over. "There are far better things to think about."

Anzu didn't miss the smile, nor had she missed that Yuugi was still wearing the fingerless gloves from the other day. "You're still hooked on him."

"It was only yesterday that I kicked you out," Yuugi said distractedly. "Feelings don't change overnight."

"Hmm." Anzu wasn't too sure about that. Yuugi wasn't known for his emotional stability. And his romantic interests, though no doubt intense, never lasted for more than two weeks, at the end of which he began to lose interest and chauffeured the person into their new life without him. He wasn't cruel about it, and actually went out of his way to insure the person had a steady job and a roof over their heads before they left. But it was still his pattern, and Anzu had assumed that by this point in the relationship Yuugi would either be boasting about his triumph or sighing out his boredom. But he wasn't doing either. He just looked… happy.

Trying to shake off her concern, Anzu handed back Yuugi's harmonica and folded her arms on the table. "Just make sure you don't fall in the deep end, Yuugi," she said lightly. "You wouldn't want to go and find something serious."

This didn't get the reaction she had thought it would. Yuugi looked at her evenly, slowly lowering his arms and giving Anzu his full attention. "Why not?"

Surprised, Anzu furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head. "Well, you don't want to." She paused before adding, "Do you? I mean, you're not exactly suited to it." She laughed. "None of us are, when you think about it."

"Oh really?" Yuugi said lethargically. He folded his hands in his lap and looked away from the woman at the table. A twinge of anger rose from his gut and spread through his body like the branches of a willow tree. "This would have nothing to do with the fact that I broke up with you all those years ago?"

Anzu stopped laughing. Yuugi's voice was rigid as frost and the comment made her bristle. Yuugi was well aware of her desire to have a family; a secret she had confided into her then-boyfriend was being used as a weapon for reasons she didn't understand. Her fists clenched. "How can you say that to me, Yuugi?"

"_You_ brought it up yesterday, remember? You specifically implied that I had not been involved in our relationship and _that_ is the reason we didn't work." Yuugi was feeling really testy and defensive, the irritated feelings fueling his words. They weren't emotions he was used to and it left him a little bewildered. But it also made him feel empowered, and that wasn't something he was willing to let go of right now.

Anzu rolled her eyes and sat back roughly in the chair, waving her hand in front of her in exasperation. "Not every comment I make is about us. Don't be so egotistical."

"This one was," Yuugi persisted. "I'm not stupid Anzu."

No, you're not, Anzu thought to herself. You just act like it sometimes. "Look," she said, standing from her chair. "I didn't come over here to fight with you. The gang's meeting at the beach this Sunday. I'll see you then." After jumping over the fence and marching away from the backyard Anzu heard the agitated music of Yuugi's harmonica.

> - - - - - - -

Atemu took a sip from the mug he held in his left hand, his right hand holding onto the tenth page of the fiscal report from last quarter. The folder containing the report was balanced between his knees and the arm of the recliner, his legs folded beneath him in relaxation. When he had gotten home earlier that evening Atemu had immediately showered and changed into his loungewear – he had stopped off at the mall after work to build up his wardrobe with the advance on his paycheck – eager to change out of the suit he'd been wearing for fourteen hours. The loose, long-sleeved burgundy top overlapped the matching striped pants, and a small cream-colored bathroom hung unwrapped from his shoulders. To him, there was no outfit that could be more comfortable.

He was taking the opportunity of being home alone to further acquaint himself with Kaiba Corporations. Sugoroku was on a date with Sarah, Gina was out with friends, and lord only knew where Yuugi had scampered off to. Atemu was not disappointed. He hadn't had a peaceful moment to himself since meeting Yuugi seeing as how the young man hung around him constantly… except when he was off annoying his family, of course. Atemu chuckled into his mug. He had never seen someone take so much pleasure in tormenting family members. And as much as Gina and Sugoroku bellowed at the treatment, he had the sneaking suspicion that they enjoyed the attention and recognized it as the affection it was. Besides, they took just as much effort at retribution that Yuugi applied towards them. He held up pretty well for one man against an experienced force of two.

Laying down the page he was holding and picking up the next one, Atemu took the moment to close his eyes and just let himself be. If the house was missing anything, it was the presence of a pet. He had grown up with animals and had always enjoyed the warmth they lent to a room. But it wasn't his place to suggest such an addition, as nice as it would be to have a cat come and jump in his lap and rub against his chin to distract him from his work.

There was a loud bang from the downstairs door and the thundering knocks of someone running up the wooden stairs. Atemu didn't need to look up from the report to know that it was Yuugi who had come home. No one else in the family held that kind of exuberance running up the stairs. He straightened his legs from beneath him and leaned forward to listen to Yuugi as he skipped into the kitchen, opened the 'fridge, made a small sound of triumph at whatever he found, and bound down the hall into his bedroom. Atemu hid his smile behind his mug. Yuugi hadn't even noticed he was home, and he had never seen anyone get so excited over stringed cheese.

Yuugi eventually emerged from his bedroom, cheese nowhere to be seen and presumably already eaten, wearing a blue version of his plaid pjs with a gray shirt. He walked into the living room intent on watching TV when he stopped in his tracks, a pair of reddish-brown eyes laughing at him from beneath a sheet of paper.

"Até!" Yuugi greeted happily. "When'd you get home?"

"About an hour ago," Atemu said, resting his hand on top of the manila folder so he and Yuugi wouldn't have to crane their heads around the paper in his hand. "How was your day?"

"Awesome." Yuugi walked over to the chair and sat himself on the arm Atemu was not draped over, ignoring the incredulous look he received. "I was down at the pier, and there was this great band that was playing this techno music that had everyone dancing – well, attempting to dance anyway. It was funny! This one woman was trying to show this guy how to move and he just couldn't get it. He looked like a flailing octopus." Yuugi demonstrated a few of the humorous moves for Atemu's enjoyment. "I was able to get the screen door fixed, too."

"I noticed that. Thank you," Atemu said. "I was planning on doing it this weekend."

Yuugi waved him off. "I don't think Ji-chan would've survived that long. He's very protective over that screen door. It was the first thing he installed in the house."

"I'll remember that."

"What do you know about that car parked in the driveway?" Yuugi abruptly asked. "It's so cool. Looks brand new too. And a BMW! Man, someone's rich."

Atemu resumed looking at the fiscal report, a sly smile on his face. "It's mine."

There were several moments of surprised silence. "_Yours_?"

"Well, the company's, actually. But I get to treat it like it's mine."

Yuugi jumped up from the chair and ran to the kitchen, leaning over the sink so he could look out the window and down at the newly obtained vehicle. His eyes glazed over and a grin split his face. "You are _so_ letting me drive it."

"Yeah well, we'll see."

Yuugi's confidence was not shaken and he walked back to the living room, standing directly in front of Atemu. The man painted a homely picture, sitting in his chair with his mug and his bathrobe. The only thing missing were the slippers. Yuugi had effectively blocked his earlier argument with Anzu to deal with at another time. He didn't want anything interrupting the fun he was having with Atemu, and he wasn't about to allow who he considered to be a jealous friend to interfere. With the negative experience out of his mind that left only happiness in his heart, Yuugi couldn't resist himself. Placing a hand on both arms of the chair for balance, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss into Atemu's hair, above his ear. He inhaled sharply to capture the refreshing scent that was emulating from the soft strands, grinning at the small jump of surprise the kiss had caused.

"Don't do that," Atemu scolded. He was frowning down at his mug, which had nearly lost some of its contents all over the fiscal report.

Yuugi ignored him, rubbing the tip of his nose against Atemu's hair. "You took a shower." Atemu scoffed in offense. "And you dried your hair."

"Your point?"

"You're taking better care of yourself. It's a good sign." Yuugi pulled his head back and gave Atemu an Eskimo kiss, much to the other man's chagrin. "I like the smell. Sandalwood, right?"

"It's better than the lavender _you_ use," Atemu said.

Yuugi frowned playfully. "That's mom's fault. She won't let anyone else choose the fragrance."

"Afraid of your mother?" Atemu asked, his good humor returning.

"When she's wielding a rolling pin? Absolutely." Yuugi let his hands slide further back along the chair's arms, his expression turning devilishly scheming. He'd been waiting all day for Atemu to come home and, knowing that the man got up early in the morning for work, was eager to begin the night's festivities. He watched as Atemu leaned back into the chair, his eyes narrowed in suspicious nervousness, and then tilted his head so he could place a kiss in front of Atemu's ear, letting his lips travel downward in continuous dry kisses.

Atemu stiffened instantly, tightening his grip on his mug. His hand moved quickly to keep the papers from falling on the floor, and the movement caused him to move forward enough that Yuugi was able to lean in closer to kiss behind his ear and downward from there. Atemu wasn't ready for this again so soon. He still was confused about how best to deal with Yuugi and his own fluttering emotions, and Yuugi initiating another intimate moment was doing nothing for Atemu's confidence that he would be able to walk away without a backwards glance. Yuugi's ministrations felt good, of course, light and tender, with a touch of playfulness and an eagerness that Atemu could feel radiating from his body. It was almost too much to handle.

Yuugi noticed that Atemu was not relaxing into the moment and wasn't enjoying himself. He stopped his kisses and leaned his head back, disappointment nibbling at him when he saw the tenseness of Atemu's closed eyes. "What's wrong?" he whispered, running the back of his fingers along Atemu's cheek.

A head shake was the only response to his question. Yuugi frowned thoughtfully, trying to deduce the problem. He pushed his fingers back into Atemu's hair, trailing them lightly over his temple, and then over the shell of his ear. He knew that his actions weren't uncomfortable; the expression of an internal battle on Atemu's face made that much clear. This was different from the hesitation from the previous night. That had been a lack of self-confidence that anyone would find him attractive enough to want to kiss him, let alone for any amount of time. It had not been unexpected, and Yuugi knew how to handle that self-doubt. But he wasn't sure what this was, and he was irritated that Atemu wasn't going to voice the problem.

Well, Yuugi decided, if he wants me to stop I will, but until he tells me to… Reaching down with his hand, Yuugi took the mug from Atemu's unresisting grip and set it on the table beside the chair. He noticed Atemu's mouth had opened slightly, a sign that his body was reacting to the signals Yuugi was sending. Yuugi bent his left knee and pushed it slowly along Atemu's thigh, reaching back until it was against his hip and pushing into the back of the chair. He repeated the action with his right leg, ignoring the rustl of the papers that were shoved to the floor as his leg took their place. He sat back on Atemu's knees and took hold of the other man's hands, rubbing his thumb along the back of the skin.

Atemu leaned his head forward and pushed his forehead into Yuugi's chest. His form shuddered with the force of the breath he released. How could he fight against what he longed for if Yuugi persisted in drowning him in affection? He was _stronger_ than this. His will didn't succumb to the insistence of another. Sure, he fell for those who showed him compassion, but he always kicked himself out of it. And right now, as Yuugi settled in on his lap and his cool fingers traveled from the back of his hands to his wrists, eventually reaching beyond the hem of his shirt and circling around his arms, he could not detect in himself any sense of the awakening that would pull him from this situation.

Yuugi felt the change occur in Atemu and smiled. He lowered his head and kissed the back of Atemu's head, then the back of his neck, and then to his temple, adding to the pressure he applied to push Atemu's head slightly to the side. The tactic worked, and Yuugi was rewarded with better access to the other's cheek and neck. He took full advantage of the opportunity, kissing the skin exposed to him. He nipped softly underneath Atemu's jaw, looking for that one sensitive spot that would make the man putty in his hands. Apparently that wasn't the place, so Yuugi continued his search with open-mouthed kisses in an effort to get more of a response from Atemu.

Another popular spot of sensitivity was behind the ear, and Yuugi let his tongue come out to coax a moan from Atemu. Though the man's breath hitched momentarily, it still wasn't what Yuugi was looking for. He had one more spot to try, and he bypassed the neck to nip at the juncture between shoulder and throat. Failure again caused Yuugi to click his tongue in frustration, which was met by an unsuspected chuckle.

"You'll find it," Atemu mumbled into Yuugi's shirt. "In fact, you already have."

Yuugi kept his head bowed, pursing his lips in thought. That was rather cryptic, but an intriguing bit of information. He tapped his fingers against the wrists he held in his hands. Atemu shifted against him rather poignantly, and Yuugi's eyebrow rose in suspicion. Instead of tapping his fingers again, he curled his thumbs to the underside of Atemu's wrist and let them flutter over his pulse. Ah, now, _that's_ what he was looking for. That uncontrollable shiver that came from pleasure that was deep and complete. Yuugi had the feeling that his discovery was too easy, and so decided to test if it was both of Atemu's wrists that were sensitive, or only one of them. After a moment of experimentation, Yuugi had his answer.

Keeping their folded forms together, Yuugi guided Atemu's left hand out from between them and brought it to his lips, kissing each fingertip deliberately. Atemu made a quiet sound and raised his head, burying is face in Yuugi's neck as the other man proceeded to kiss and lick down his fingers so suggestively that it had Atemu's mind traveling to places he didn't think he'd be visiting this soon. Yuugi was thoroughly enjoying himself and the keening noise Atemu made when he focused his attention on the center of his palm made his pulse quicken. It seemed the man had settled whatever battle he had waged with himself and was relaxing into the moment.

Yuugi really liked Atemu's hand. It wasn't completely smooth, but it wasn't rough or calloused either, exhibiting a pleasant medium that felt textured against his tongue and lips. The extremity was extra warm due to the drink Atemu had been holding and Yuugi found himself rubbing his nose, cheeks, forehead and mouth into the inviting heat. He felt Atemu lift himself up into him, pressing harder into his neck and causing their hips to just brush into each other. That was enough to divert Yuugi's attention to other activities. Using his face to guide Atemu off his neck he kissed him forcefully, driving him back into the chair and interlocking their hands together.

Atemu was more responsive than the night before, though Yuugi wouldn't have classified his movements as active. Much of his apprehension was gone, and his free hand seemed to have no trouble tracing its way along Yuugi's thigh and up his back to rest. Yuugi created a minimal rocking motion, pulling away from and pushing into Atemu with both his mouth and his body, one hand gripping Atemu's hand spasmodically and the other twisting through his hair. The movements were still slow, but this only increased the heat and intensity as each man had time to fully feel what the other was doing with their body. Yuugi grinned into one of his many tongue-twirling kisses when he felt the muscles just below his stomach quiver in excitement, and he would have sworn that he felt Atemu smile before he was kissed again. There was no denying it: Yuugi was not going to tire of that soft and slick mouth any time soon.

> - - - - - - -

_to be continued…_


	7. Friendly Reminders

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: I apologize for the excessively long delay. I've been incredibly ill with a sinus infection that progressed into an inner ear infection that is still lingering around my head with the audacity of a dominant predator. This chapter did not turn out to be the chapter I thought it was going to be, which isn't a bad thing, just very confusing for me. I'm not use to that! Oh well, it just means there will be more chapters for you guys, which I hope is a good thing. Enjoy!

- Ocean

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Seven – Friendly Reminders_

Sunday eventually rolled around in the manner of a lazy cat turning over in the middle of a sunbeam. Yuugi was due to meet his friends at the beach in an hour, and in preparation he was spending his time applying enough gel to his hair to make it lay comparatively still against the harsh ocean wind. In no way was he going to take Jounochi's advice and wear a girly _hair band_, nor was he willing to tie his stunning hair back into a sissified ponytail. He looked funny in hats and probably wouldn't be able to keep one on his head without tying it down with rope. And it was beyond annoying to be continuously pulling hair from his mouth every time he opened the orifice, and even worse to hear the laughter at his plight. No, it was the gel for him. His eyes wandered down to the jar in his hand, the sea green goop staring confidently back at him. That stiff, somewhat greasy, oil-inducing gel that would hold his hair down through shear force of will alone…

"Gyah!" Yuugi set the jar of goop back onto the bathroom sink and marched out into the living room, hands drawn tight at his sides. He looked around for his houseguest and, once finding him sitting on the floor in front of the loveseat, proceeded to voice his objections. "It's not _fair_ Até!"

Atemu looked up from the book he was reading and eyed Yuugi thoughtfully. That whine had been quite impressive.

"I mean, why do I have to be the one blessed with such unruly hair?" Yuugi marched over to Atemu and flopped ceremoniously beside him, throwing his head back onto the couch and covering his eyes with his arm. He didn't move until he heard Atemu laugh, raising his arm just enough so he could peek at the other man and grin.

"Oh the trials you face," Atemu said around a chuckle. He returned his attention to his book, though his amused smile remained.

Yuugi straightened himself and leaned over Atemu's shoulder, sticking his nose as close to the book as he was able. "What'cha reading?" Atemu obliged and closed the book to expose the cover, keeping his finger between the pages he was reading to save his place. Yuugi nodded, scrunching his face. "I didn't know you liked espionage."

"If you're going to read," Atemu began, folding the corner of his page and closing the book now that he realized he wasn't going to get anymore reading done so long as Yuugi was curious, "read something intelligent." He frowned. "Or at least, something that tries to be intelligent. Something that makes you think, anyway."

Yuugi laughed outright, trying to calm his amusement only when he received a pout for his efforts. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's just that even you don't sound like you like what you're reading." A devious expression slowly melted its way onto Yuugi's face, and he reached forward and grabbed the book from Atemu's hands and tossed it over the back of the couch. He ignored the rude comment that ensued from his actions. "There are better ways to waste your time."

"Such as?" Atemu asked, forlornly following with his eyes the flight path his book had taken.

"You could come to the beach with us!"

Atemu didn't look at Yuugi, choosing to stand and retrieve his abused book. "No thanks," he said, humor underlying his tone. He bent behind the couch, leaving his hand as the only visible part of him on the back of the furniture, and so missed the calculating expression on the other man's face. "Spending the day being scrutinized by a group of people whose first and only impression of me is my stomping away like a child does not sound like a good time. Besides," he continued, standing and tossing the book in the air in victory, "I don't like ocean water. It always makes my skin itch."

"Aw, poor baby." Yuugi snickered when Atemu stuck his tongue out at him and reclaimed his seat on the floor. Yuugi shifted himself around so he was facing his friend, propping his arm on the couch and balancing his head on his hand. He poked Atemu in the shoulder playfully, causing the other man to squirm until his back was facing Yuugi. "So you're going to waste the day reading a book?"

"Yes." Atemu glanced at Yuugi over his shoulder quickly, and the younger man flinched at the mischief evident in the expression. "_I_ can still improve myself, so I'm going to take advantage of the opportunity."

Yuugi stared blankly; then he broke out in laughter. "You're _terr_ible!" he said, slapping Atemu's shoulder. "All high and mighty over a damn book."

"What're you going to do?" Atemu breathed in deeply and released it slowly, letting his body relax. He twisted his torso so he was facing Yuugi and, without thinking, leaned forward and brushed his nose affectingly against Yuugi's in happiness. He didn't realize what he'd done until he resumed his position of facing away from Yuugi, at which point his eyes widened and a light flush boldly fingered its way onto his cheeks. What the hell did he just do?! He pulled the book closer to his face and tried discreetly to hide behind its pages. He just couldn't hold out another bloody half-hour for Yuugi to leave…

It took a moment for Yuugi to realize his mouth was hanging open and for him to close it. That… that had been unexpected. Though _he_ wasn't shy about demonstrating his fondness for Atemu, the other man had _never_ initiated such contact between them. His grin pretty much explained his reaction to Atemu's slip in personal etiquette. He noticed the other man pointedly not looking at him, his relaxation having been traded for a tense expectation. Quite suddenly, and happily in Yuugi's opinion, the beach didn't seem all that interesting anymore.

Smirking in a fashion only Yuugi could achieve, he quietly slid himself along the couch until his shirt was just brushing against Atemu's back, and his legs followed the outline of the man's in front of him. "Why Até," he purred, folding the arm on the couch around Atemu's shoulders and letting it drift upwards until the skin of his forearm was resting against the other man's throat. He rested his free hand against Atemu's bicep, his fingers curling lightly around the muscle. "I didn't know you cared." He laughed quietly, a soft, inviting sound, when Atemu muttered an obscenity under his breath. "Hey, it's alright." He pressed his nose behind Atemu's ear and inhaled sharply, releasing his breath with an, "I like you too."

Atemu groaned into his book, but didn't resist when Yuugi reached over and guided it out of his hands. Though he had convinced himself that accepting Yuugi's advances wouldn't cause any more pain than was already occurring when he tried to decline him, making a move himself guaranteed future heartache that he just didn't believe he was capable of handling. He was a fool if he thought the interest shown in him was anything more than temporary, no matter how sincere it felt. His heart was the dumbest part of him, and whenever it told him that emotions were real and that someone genuinely saw him as more than a toy he knew to run in the opposite direction. It was so difficult with Yuugi though, his patient persistence never crossing the line, always seeming to read exactly how far he could push Atemu without causing him to bolt. The longer he stayed around the younger man the harder it was becoming to resist the urge to give in and let Yuugi show him, if only once, what it was like to be adored. He needed to get out of the house before the inevitable breaking of his heart. He couldn't bring himself to leave with the possibility of acceptance dangled in front of him like a carrot. The stress he placed upon himself was enough to make a grown man cry.

Yuugi was unaware of the turmoil Atemu was experiencing. All he knew was that, once again, Atemu was not pulling away from him, which told him that he was welcome to continue doing – heh, whatever came into his mind. Once he lowered the book to the floor he raised his hand and trailed his fingertips over the ridge of Atemu's brows, feeling when the eyes closed, drawing his hand down over the dark cheek, following the increasingly rapid pulse in his neck. Nuzzling behind his ear, Yuugi began placing light kisses into Atemu's hair, delaying his trek downwards until his hand was able to slip beneath the collar of Atemu's shirt and pull it gently to the side, exposing his collarbone. Ghosting his finger over the protrusion once, Yuugi lowered his head and placed his open mouth on the exposed flesh. Lazily, he let his tongue fall to the skin as his lips roamed back and forth in cheerful exploration.

A short breath escaped Atemu's throat as Yuugi enjoyed himself, an involuntary shudder pushing his body further into the couch and the man behind him when the arm across his throat lowered until a hand was holding on to the side of his chest, the palm occasionally brushing over his nipple as a result of his movements. The hand not holding onto him had found its way to the top of his thigh and was resting there heatedly, the warmth beginning to spread throughout the muscle. The hand started moving a few moments later; not much, but almost spasmodically, as though loosening and strengthening its grip or rubbing it up and down the length of the extremity would somehow dissipate the heat that was being collected. Atemu's hand, the one attached to the arm currently pressed against the couch, gripped tightly the one on his chest as he tried to calm his breathing with long, forced breaths. He had hoped that the added physical contact would bring some sense back into his mind, but all it did was weigh him down with the comfort of feeling another human being holding onto him with gentle intentions.

Atemu was not disappointing Yuugi's expectations of quiet pleasure. The older man was just not overtly vocal when it came to physical gratification or the release of emotional trauma. Yuugi's moist mouth had laid a trail of wetness to cocoon the warm skin in a cool and slippery substance that reacted against the developing heat. He drew the hand that could not lie still against Atemu's thigh teasingly over his stomach and tensed his muscles, which pulled Atemu enticingly back into his front. For a minute neither man moved; Atemu focusing his thoughts on calming himself and not succumbing to Yuugi's seduction, Yuugi realizing how nice and… and how simple it felt to hold onto someone as kind as Até. It was one of those defining moments that does not leave an obvious impression of its presence. In the stillness that resulted, each man trapped in the inner workings of his own mind, all that could be heard was slightly ragged breathing and the shifting scratch of shirts and pants sliding past each other.

Yuugi's adventurous mouth pulled itself back just enough so it was hovering over the skin, his increasingly sensitive lips trembling against the heat they could feel. This sentiment was new to Yuugi. At least, he thought it was. As much as he could think, anyway. He felt so calm, and warm, but not in the sexual manner in which he usually associated this heat. It was comfortable, and enveloping, and filled his muscles with a sensation of hunger that had nothing to do with food or… or anything, really. Just a nervous twitching that was surprisingly pleasant and didn't appear to require any action to be soothed. An excited breath was exhaled and he felt Atemu's small movements still. Raising his head slowly, Yuugi brought his face close to Atemu's cheek, content to remain holding the man who invoked these beautiful feelings of serenity.

The weight of fingers on his face and the movement of the cheek beneath his caused Yuugi to open his eyes, and he found himself looking into a heavy chocolate gaze that was quiet, accepting, and full of an emotion he hadn't seen before on Atemu's features. He was captivated by the soft expression and he found his own eyes hooding in the instinctual reaction of arousal. The backs of the fingers on his cheek followed the protrusion of his cheekbone, idly rubbing along its length as Atemu's eyes unfocused and lowered, unseeing in the midst of the seriousness that was slowly enveloping the encounter. Yuugi barely noticed that Atemu was leaning back into the couch and that he had turned enough to almost be facing Yuugi directly. He hissed quietly as the fingers on his face lowered to the underside of his jaw, then drew themselves lovingly beneath his chin, applying a gentle pressure that caused him to lift his head ever so slightly.

Atemu unconsciously folded his lips inward, wetting them lightly. He simply didn't have the will to fight it anymore. He was friendless, he was homesick, and he hurt with a soul-wrenching pain of abandonment that he was desperate to get away from. What was the point in denying his attraction to Yuugi when all it caused him was further pain? True, he was going to pay the price later when Yuugi realized that he wasn't interesting enough to keep around, but that moment was inevitable whether or not he gave in to his own desires and Yuugi achieved the intimacy he'd been working toward. To feel _something_ not akin to self-loathing would be blissful enough to carry him through the years of loneliness that lay ahead of him. It was with these thoughts that Atemu used his fingers to hold the other man's head still and leaned upward, allowing his eyes to slip shut as he encased Yuugi's upper lip within his own and kissed it gently.

Yuugi's breath caught in his throat at the contact, and it was all he could do not to hum loudly at the sensation of Atemu's forwardness and ruin the moment. The sensation of _Atemu_ kissing _him_ was simply indescribable; it was beyond the pleasure of listening to Atemu snap at him over a bad joke, beyond the enjoyment of watching Atemu's marvelous eyes close in pleasure when he unexpectedly held his hand, beyond the intensity of that evening when Yuugi had kissed Atemu properly for the first time in his room. The fingers under his chin stretched out and rested against the corner of his mouth, and Yuugi allowed himself to sigh into Atemu, leaning forward to increase the pressure on his lips and push the other man more fully against the couch so he could feel more of him. He leaned over Atemu's chest, one arm behind his back and holding onto his waist while the other came to rest on the hollow of his neck, his fingers fluttering over the rapid pulse beneath the semi-rough skin. Yuugi had his hip pressed against Atemu's, but there were no thoughts of straddling the older man or forcing the contact further than the situation rendered. He was simply enjoying himself too much to even think beyond the feel of Atemu's mouth.

Yuugi was, however, not so far removed from reality that he didn't entertain the thought of taking control. Not forcefully, of course, and he by no means wished for Atemu not to continue taking action, but the slow burning in his blood was respectfully demanding that he feel more of the delicious man beneath him. Yuugi smirked into the kiss, which caused Atemu to release his lip without drawing back, his mouth opening and closing while the energy of his lust began to infiltrate his mind and short-circuit his actions. Yuugi leaned forward, making sure their lips were pressed together and slipping over each other just so. "Finally," he whispered. He was forced to pause at the jolt he felt when Atemu loosened in his grip on his shirt, effectively relaying his willingness to submit to Yuugi's action. God _damn_, Yuugi thought, did this man know how to work his way beneath his skin. Recovering, Yuugi tilted his face so the edge of his tongue could trail over Atemu's bottom lip with minimal effort, groaning with the shudder he felt race through Atemu.

"Finally," he repeated in the same whisper, "I can give you the good-" he kissed Atemu's open mouth intently "-and pleasurable kiss you deserve." These last words were said quickly as Yuugi simply could not hold himself back any longer. The kiss he should have given Atemu initially on that fateful day was finally delivered.

Yuugi didn't have to worry about coaxing Atemu to lean against him or about how to encourage the other man to open his mouth and invite him inside. He was still provided with the opportunity to nibble on the lips he held within his own, just barely involving his teeth and soothing the contact with the softest side of his tongue, drinking in the hitched breaths and the tightening of the hand around the collar of his shirt. Yuugi initiated his sweetest of French-kisses after feeling the inside of Atemu's velvety lips, brushing the tip of his tongue softly against Atemu's so they could taste the sweetness of each other. Each movement of his tongue was slow and languid; he wasn't going to waste a single opportunity to feel and sample and savor the flavor of this man. The myth about having to pull away in order to breathe was broken with the length of time Yuugi maintained the contact of the kiss, breathing in deeply and suitably through his nose. It was times like these that Yuugi adored having an experienced partner - one that didn't panic with the long duration of a kiss, rather feeding off it and using it to propel themselves into a heightened state of arousal. The one time Yuugi did pull away was because the intensity was so _strong_ that he simply didn't know what else to do. He could not have been happier when Atemu didn't allow the break in the kiss to endure by following him the moment their lips broke contact and initiating the next kiss with more passion than the previous one. This kiss… this kiss was the most beautiful experience Yuugi had _ever_ shared with anyone, and that included quite a few exploratory encounters.

"Até," Yuugi breathed into his ear during a very brief respite. He moaned in response to Atemu's pleading "Heba," which was anything but weak and childish. "I've wanted you…" He kissed down along the susceptible tendon in his neck, ending the act with an open-mouthed suction that allowed him to fully taste the saltiness in the skin beneath his mouth. His mind far from logical thought, he wasn't aware that he spoke his next notion out loud. "My friends were right about that…"

Atemu froze in the midst of nuzzling his head against Yuugi's. It took a moment for the other man to realize that his partner was no longer participating or responding to his touches, and when he did he felt the lead weight of panic sink hard into his stomach. "Atemu?" he asked quickly. When he didn't get an immediate response he raised his head to look Atemu in the eye. "_Até_?" he asked more desperately.

Atemu's eyes were tightly closed and his head was turned away, his mouth open in a poorly concealed painful grimace. Yuugi felt real terror eat at his sanity as he tried to figure out what had happened. Everything had been going so well, it had felt so good, it had been _right_, he hadn't forced it and Atemu had wanted it and what had he done wrong?!

He couldn't bring himself to look at Yuugi, knowing that to do so would be his destruction. "Your friends are waiting for you."

"My friends?" Yuugi shook his head in disbelief, finally beginning to realize exactly what he had said. "No-no-no. No! I don't care! I'd rather be here." He pushed his forehead into Atemu's, trying to convey his honesty and convince himself that this wasn't happening. "I _always_ rather be here with you other than with the-"

"Don't be foolish." Realizing how harshly he had spoken, Atemu opened his eyes and smiled weakly, gently placing both hands on Yuugi's shoulders and tenderly pushing him away. "Never disregard your friends. They are too difficult to come by." He pushed at Yuugi again when the man refused to move. "Go on," he said, trying valiantly not to let his voice crack with the tears he felt forming in his eyes. "_Go_." When Yuugi eventually stood, his arm shaking where it supported his weight on the loveseat, Atemu quickly got to his feet and offered another weak smile, saying faintly, "I'll be here when you get back." He rushed himself past Yuugi as quickly as he dared and made it to the bathroom in time to lock himself and his emotions out of Yuugi's sight.

Yuugi had seen the tears in Atemu's eyes but hadn't reacted fast enough to stop him from running into the bathroom. Memories of the evening of their first meeting surfaced violently in his mind and he ran to the bathroom in the dire hope of reaching the door before he heard that fateful sound of the shower running.

He was too late. Just like that night, Atemu had shut him out completely. Yuugi was left to jiggle the handle in futility, sinking to his knees as the reality of his actions enveloped him like quicksand. How could he have been so fucking _stupid_ as to bring up the one thing that had ever caused tension between them?? And during a _damn_ make-out session that _Atemu_ had initiated! The pain of the wall that now stood between him and Atemu in the form of a bathroom door was almost too much for Yuugi to handle. He never knew it could hurt this much to have someone shut you out. How did people live with it?

He was in no mood to see his friends now, but he also didn't believe he could handle staying in the house and listening to that godforsaken shower knowing what it symbolized. With only minutes to spare, Yuugi finally pulled himself off the floor, gathered his beach bag, and left his home.

* * *

For a Sunday afternoon there weren't many people at the beach, though a feeling of a buzzing crowd still vibrated the air and saturated the sand. Premium space just beyond the reach of the surf had been claimed since early morning, and slowly the area behind the frontlines began to fill with an encroaching shuffle towards the concrete strand four hundred yards from the ocean. Beach umbrellas sprouted like tress and added vibrant color against the stark backdrop of bright sand and dark ocean blue. 

Anzu, who had been able to acquire a position two rows back from the frontlines, had been the only one to think to bring a beach chair and had used this fact as proof that she deserved to be under the lone umbrella. Honda had protested feebly until he was distracted by the blonde lifeguard walking past him and he'd taken off in pursuit of a fantasy, leaving Anzu to put on her sunglasses and relax in her shaded oasis. Jounochi was down at the surf failing to build sandcastles, much to the amusement of the children that had gathered around his infectious personality. He raised his hand and flashed a grin at Yuugi when he noticed his friend spreading out his beach towel next to Anzu.

"You made it!"

Yuugi half-smiled in acknowledgement. He placed an arm around Anzu's shoulders and squeezed lightly in greeting. After she patted his hand he sat at the head of his towel and rummaged in his bag for his sunglasses. He found his Frisbee during the hunt and flipped it to Honda, who had returned from his exploits, and the man caught it enthusiastically and gathered Jounochi for a game. They tried to interest Yuugi and Anzu in the fun, but when Yuugi declined Anzu decided against joining them to stay with her friend.

"How you doing?" Anzu tucked her hair behind both ears reflexively when the wind whipped at her skin. She didn't like Yuugi's noncommittal shrug or the way he purposefully didn't make eye-contact with her. "Hey," she said, laying her hand on top of his in an attempt to get his attention, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to start fighting with you this pat week."

"I know Anzu. It just didn't help." Yuugi patted he hand and scooted down on his towel to lie down. "Things are tough enough without the two of us going at it."

Anzu sighed. "Agreed." Oh, there was no doubt in her mind that things between her and Yuugi were fine, and that this had just been one of those inevitable bumps in the road that all friendships face. What bothered her was Yuugi's constant mention of how tough things were and how even when talking to his friends about his problems he never actually put a name to what was frustrating him. Yuugi liked to appear simple and shallow, believing it allowed him a lot of maneuverability in his relationships. He believed that it protected him from all of the big hurts in the world. He'd never come outright and told her this, but he'd hinted enough to Anzu that he wasn't as happy as he pretended to be with his choice of lifestyle.

"What can I do?" she asked gently. Yuugi turned his head away from her in thought, not dismissal. "What's _really_ bothering you?"

He was so not in the mood for insightful questioning. It had taken all his willpower to show up at the beach and maintain a blank exterior. The knowledge that Atemu was back at the home, hiding himself in a shower, was eating away at his nerves like acid on paper. He couldn't fathom the courage it must have taken Atemu to expose his emotions like that, to finally let down his guard and openly welcome Yuugi's advances. And to return them! Yuugi had noticed how difficult it was for Atemu to trust the intentions of others. While he always acted polite and cordial, his subtle and practiced sidestepping of both physical and emotional proximity had not gone unnoticed by Yuugi's watchful eyes. He'd been amazed that Atemu had let him come so close so fast; even knowing it was his intention to eventually get him into bed.

"I'm not really sure," Yuugi finally answered. When it appeared that Atemu was going to give in… _wanted_ to give in to Yuugi's seduction, what had he done? He'd sabotaged it _royally_. "It seems I don't know what I want," he muttered. What person in their right mind tried to destroy the one thing they had been seeking when it quite literally fell into their lap?

"Woo-hoo!" Jounochi exclaimed when he suddenly appeared and dropped by Yuugi's side, Honda taking a more dignified seat at the foot of Anzu's chair. Jounochi smacked Yuugi's bent knee in salutation. "So man, how's it going?"

"I'm fine."

"Aw now," Honda said through a cheeky grin, looking at each of his friends. "We all know that tone. Something interesting has happened." He bent his knees and clasped his wrists together around his legs in his eagerness to begin the questioning. "I assume we all know who this is regarding correct? So we can skip that part. What happened?"

"Has the debonair Egyptian decided to cooperate?" Jounochi chimed in.

Anzu worried her bottom lip. The boys didn't seem to notice it, but Yuugi's entire body had tensed and a frown continued to grow on his face while Honda and Jounochi continued to talk about Atemu. "Guys?" she tried to intervene. "Maybe we should back off for a little while."

Jounochi looked at Anzu in surprise before waving off her concern. "It's all in good fun. Yug knows that, don't ya bud?" He misinterpreted Yuugi's grunt for agreement. "No secrets between friends!"

"So what makes him squirm?" Honda persisted, artfully dodging Anzu's attempts to quiet him. "Are his ears sensitive? Is he an ear man?"

"I doubt it. Unless he has earrings?" When Yuugi failed to respond – aside from rolling onto his stomach – Jounochi assumed he was correct. "Maybe his neck?"

"I like necks myself," Honda mused. "There's all this skin to touch, and you have to get in close, so it can't help but be an intimate thing."

"Come on guys, leave it alone. You're wasting precious ogling time." Anzu gestured to the scantly clad patrons of the beach.

"Can't tell me you ain't curious?" Jounochi asked.

Honda studied Anzu carefully before bursting into a grin. "You know something!" He had to pause while Jounochi sputtered his indignation at not knowing all the details. "What," he continued mischievously, narrowing his eyes, "were you there to see it?"

Anzu restrained her temper rather well. "_Look_, this was funny when we were all involved with it, but it's obvious Yuugi doesn't want to talk about him right now so can't we give him that?!"

Honda leaned back with his hands raised in defense. "Whoa there, settle down Anzu."

Jounochi twisted his mouth in thought as he looked at Yuugi's back. Maybe Anzu had a point. It was pretty weird that Yuugi hadn't said more than two words to them. A foul mood radiated off his body in looping rings, noticeable when you stopped and paid attention. This didn't curb his curiosity, but it did make him think he needed to tone down the excitement in his voice. When he thought about it, there'd really been only one other time he'd seen Yuugi this moody over someone and that had been when his friend had returned from his semester in Hawaii. Yuugi never did tell them why he'd been in the mild depression.

"Yug," he asked softly. Yuugi sighed heavily and Jounochi knew he'd interrupted whatever his friend had been thinking, though he was happy to know that he had his attention. "What happened? Did he say something?"

Yuugi removed his sunglasses and chewed on the end of the ear piece. "No," he said, his voice breaking through Honda's and Anzu's argument. "It wasn't anything he said." There was no further elaboration, his gaze unfocused on the sand in front of him. As much as he had tried to twist the events, he couldn't see any way to blame Atemu. This screw-up was entirely his fault.

"Then it was something he did," Honda said. He began to laugh as an unbelievable thought emerged. "Don't tell me he pushed you away?" He was too busy laughing to see Yuugi close his eyes at the accusation. "The man would have to be stupid to refuse _you_. Funny, I didn't take him for a fool."

"_Excuse me_?" Yuugi turned over and raised himself onto his elbows. The glare on his face was enough to freeze Honda's amusement in his throat, the chilliness of the expression penetrating straight into the group's core. "What the _hell_ are you talking about?"

"You… you mean, he did?" Honda gaped at Yuugi. "But no one turns _you_ away Yuugi!"

"I'm sorry Yuugi," Anzu said, but the lack of anger and disbelief in her voice was unable to overcome the brewing argument between the three men.

"You say that like it's a damn failing of mine," Yuugi said through gritted teeth. He could not take his friends pushing him today. He was already edgy, irritated, confused, hurt… hurt? Reexamining that thought made Yuugi realize that that was the source of most of his pain, but he didn't understand why the severity was this severe. Yes, Atemu had shut him out, pushed him away, but he'd done it before, he'd survived it before, he didn't - … why the hell did he care so much?

"No man," Jounochi said quickly. "_He's_ the failure. Doesn't know a good thing when he sees it. Sounds like he's taking advantage of your 'free' hospitality."

Yuugi felt all emotion coil in his chest like a ball of twine. He had heard the quotations in Jounochi's voice and the implications left his mind numb. "My free hospitality?" he whispered.

"Yeah," Honda said nonchalantly. "I mean, you find him, you bring him home and give him a place to stay while he gets over whatever it is he's running from. Did he really think he'd get all that for free? He owes you." There was uncertainty in his voice over the fact that Yuugi's face was getting redder the longer he spoke. "We all paid you back," he argued, motioning between himself and Jounochi.

"He works for Seto," Yuugi said to the shock of his friends. "He pays his way as he goes along."

"That's amazing," Anzu said with a touch of admiration in her voice. "Did you help him get the job Yuugi?"

"No." The reply was curt, directed towards Jounochi and Honda. "That day you all gained up on me and asked me where he was? Well, that's what he was out doing. He's Seto's personal business consultant."

"I don't believe it." Jounochi whistled. "I've never known anyone to pull the wool over Kaiba's eyes."

"You sure you aren't the one being played here?" Honda asked. "Maybe he's using sex as a lure to make you let him stay. If he can go toe-to-toe with Seto Kaiba he'd have no qualms standing against you."

That was it. That was enough. That was _more_ than enough and Yuugi didn't understand why he'd stayed as long as he had. He needed to leave before he told Jounochi and Honda to Fuck Off. Stoically he stood, shoving Jounochi off his towel and throwing both it and his sunglasses in his beach bag before turning on his heel and marching back towards the bus station. It wasn't as satisfying as a verbal send off, but it sent the same message. This was just a shitty day.

Anzu took the opportunity to slap both her friends as hard as she could, accentuating the attack with a hissed, "How could you two?!"

"What'd we do?" Jounochi exclaimed, pointing a finger after Yuugi. "He's the one acting all weird!"

"Aside from suggesting the only reason he brings people home and helps them is in return for sex?"

Working his jaw didn't get Jounochi's voice functioning again, so Honda came to his rescue. "Get real, Anzu. Yuugi knew what we meant!" He took a painfully deep breath and attempted to release it slowly. "He's acting like we attacked someone he really cares about."

"You shouldn't be attacking _any_one."

"Whatever." Honda crossed his arms, unwilling to continue what he perceived to be a horrible farce.

"All of this is bullshit," Jounochi mumbled. "Yug's been different ever sine he came back with that guy and I don't like it. I doubt he does either."

Anzu pulled at her sunglasses until they rested on the bridge of her nose, eyeing Jounochi over the rims. There was a dangerous note in his voice that promised future action was going to be taken. She didn't know her opinion of Atemu, her focus more on Yuugi at the moment, but it was pretty clear what Jounochi and Honda thought of the man they had never met. Now wasn't the time to mention the conversation she and Yuugi had had the previous week or the unexpected realization she had come to about her childhood friend. She just hoped that they all would take a few days to calm down before anyone did something rash.

* * *

_to be continued…_


	8. Island to Island

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Nothing much to say, so just enjoy!

- Ocean

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Eight –Island to Island_

Sugoroku indolently shuffled through the deck of cards in his hands, the blue, diamond patterned backs flashing through his vision while he kept himself busy standing at the top of the stairs. The cards were new, and therefore stiff and slippery with factory polish that could only be removed through use. His arthritic fingers moved quickly through the practiced motion of mixing the cards, his eyes unfocused with the distraction of listening to the tones of a conversation that he was not a part of.

Sunday evenings in the Motou household were quiet affairs, consisting of the one mandatory family meal for the week where all three Motou's made an honest attempt to get along. These were the moments when they truly acted as a family, rehashing their week and sharing memories and insults that reinforced family ties. Sugoroku had every expectation that tonight would be no different, even with the extra presence of Atemu at the table. In fact, the addition of the Egyptian may have even lightened the mood, for his charisma appeared to relax Yuugi and release the playful, easy-going man that he and his mother knew existed beneath his defensive exterior. His feelings towards the young man were warming as the days passed. He wasn't overly fond of him, but examining his calm and hushed nature day after day, along with his offers to run errands and pay for groceries in addition to the money he willingly handed over for rent, was beginning to convince Sugoroku that Atemu was not there to simply misuse their generosity. He was quite different from anyone Yuugi had brought home before.

Sugoroku hummed to himself. He admitted to keeping an eye on Atemu – the polite way of saying he spied on the man, trying to catch any slip in his façade to show that he was not, in fact, the respectful and kind man that he showed to the world. As of yet, he had been unable to find any faults in Atemu other than the complete lack of knowledge about his past. That wasn't a bad score in the shop owner's book. For now, he was willing to give Atemu the benefit of the doubt until he did something that warranted cold treatment. Besides, he was hard pressed to think ill of anyone who could make his grandson smile so genuinely, which resulted in the child being pleasant to his mother, putting Gina in good spirits that radiated throughout the household.

The moment he had returned from his lunch date with Sarah, however, Sugoroku could feel the change in the atmosphere of the house. Atemu had been sitting at the kitchen table looking over some papers from work, a mug of black tea sitting at his hand. This site wasn't unusual as the businessman spent much of his free time working. What Sugoroku didn't usually see was the rounded shoulders that created an effectual shield around his body. The air surrounding him projected the message of welcome while simultaneously warning against coming closer than invited. While Atemu had never suggested an overtly animated personality that screamed it wanted everyone to come and introduce themselves, life stories in tow, he also didn't keep such a guarded barrier around himself that any attempt at communication was met with hesitation. Sugoroku was greeted when Atemu noticed him and had been inquired about Sarah's welfare, but that was the extent of the interest shown.

He sounded like a child complaining over being ignored by a man he hardly knew. He chuckled, shaking his head. Putting this much energy into figuring out Atemu was pointless. It wasn't like he was going to be in their lives much longer.

But someone Sugoroku _did_ know well was his grandson, and Yuugi had not been himself when he'd come home from the beach. He'd marched straight to his room, not bothering to acknowledge Atemu or his grandfather, only to return a few moments later with his harmonica in hand and stomp down the stairs to the backyard. Sugoroku, who had been in the kitchen with Atemu working on his own bookkeeping, had glanced at the man across the table to see his response. He was troubled to see the distant look in Atemu's eyes as the young man watched Yuugi's agitated wandering around the house. His mouth was tense, an expression Sugoroku recognized as an attempt to hide emotional pain, and he'd tilted his head at the small sigh that Atemu made once Yuugi was harshly playing his harmonica outside. When Atemu closed his eyes and hung his head, Sugoroku reacted by offering to refill his mug. The gesture earned him a small smile of gratitude before Atemu refocused on his work.

Dinner had been just as pleasant; Atemu and Yuugi sitting next to each other but not interacting, though a hidden glance was delivered by each of them during the course of the meal. What was upsetting his grandson Sugoroku didn't know, but he hoped that whatever it was would resolve itself quickly. Lord knew they didn't need any other stimuli to showcase Yuugi's mood swings.

About to turn and head into the kitchen to wait until Yuugi was done with his phone call, Sugoroku hesitated when he heard the screen door open and close, Yuugi appearing on the steps beneath him. His grandson was fidgeting with the phone, his eyes never able to stay focused for more than a second before shifting in a new direction. The nervous energy radiated up the stairs, so forceful that Sugoroku wouldn't have been surprised if both Gina and Atemu could sense it in their respective bedrooms. He stepped aside so Yuugi could stand near him on the landing, where the younger man waited thoughtfully.

"Yuugi?"

Yuugi looked at his grandfather from the corner of his eyes, his eyebrows pulled together and his mouth drawn in a slight frown. "That was Allen," he eventually said.

"Allen? Isn't he-"

"My professor from Hawaii, yeah," Yuugi interrupted distractedly. He brought his hand to his mouth and bit down on his knuckle. After a few moments he walked into the kitchen and replaced the phone in its cradle, resting his forearms on the counter and jutting his hips behind him.

Sugoroku followed, curious about his grandson's behavior. "Well? What did he want?"

"It's strange," Yuugi mumbled to himself. He raised his voice to answer his grandfather. "The University's holding a math conference this week. Apparently there'll be a few seminars and they're looking for some people to fill in."

"Rather short notice."

"Yeah, I know." Yuugi turned around and pressed his back into the counter, his arms lightly crossed over his chest and his gaze directed out the window. "Allen said a couple of grad students who'd agree to host the seminars got sick and the backup has a family emergency. They're in quite a bind."

"So Allen thought of you." Sugoroku pulled out one of the chairs at the table and gingerly sat. "Knowing that you were considering becoming a teacher."

"Mm." It was quite the opportunity, to be sure. It was just…

"How long would you be gone?"

"Ten days, starting Tuesday." Why was Allen the one calling him? He wasn't the head of the math department.

"That'll be a pricy ticket, being last minute. And where would you stay?"

"He said that the University would cover the airfare. And that I…" It was such a preposterous idea that it couldn't help but make sense to Yuugi. They were close friends, after all, and Allen was only a couple of years older than Atemu. "Allen said I could stay with him."

There was nearly a sense of awe in Yuugi's voice, and memories of secret conversations with his grandson surfaced in Sugoroku's mind. "Would that be wise?" he broached gently. When Yuugi shrugged he added, "Do you think his feelings towards you have changed?"

"I don't know." It certainly hadn't sounded like they had on the phone. Allen had such a soft, authentic way of talking to him, even if it was in English, that Yuugi couldn't help but enjoy the time he spent with the other man. "But it's such an opportunity, and I know for a fact that I can't afford a hotel for that long."

While Yuugi continued frowning out the window, a thought occurred to Sugoroku. He wasn't sure how to voice it, not knowing the extent of Yuugi's sensitivity at the moment, but he decided it was worth airing. "You know, Yuugi, your mother and I have some money saved up, and I know you have a little. I'm pretty sure, if I've read him right, that Atemu would be willing to make up whatever the difference might be. If you would feel more comfortable not staying with Allen, that is."

Yuugi's gaze lifted from the window, his eyes falling to the floor. "Até?" Before this morning's events Yuugi wouldn't have hesitated at the idea. But he hadn't even attempted to speak to Atemu since returning from the beach, both his frustration at himself for screwing up with the man and his anger at his friends for being so presumptuous rendering him speechless. The only way he'd been able to release some of his tension was to go out back and play his harmonica as loudly as possible. He was disappointed that Atemu hadn't approached him. The teenager in him that he usually kept safely under lock and key was pouting; Atemu was older, so _he_ should be the one to take the mature route and offer the Olive Branch. Yuugi knew this was unfair, but the idea was sorely appealing. It would also prove to his so-called friends that Atemu wasn't the cancerous thespian they accused him of being.

Releasing an anxious grunt, Yuugi pushed himself away from the counter. "I'll ask him."

"You've decided to go then?"

Yuugi didn't appear to hear his grandfather's question. "I'll ask him."

* * *

Atemu closed his eyes and focused his thoughts inward, searching down within himself until he found his center, resting peacefully cradled in calm serenity. Sighing deeply to release the tension in his body, he bent his arms in front of him, paused, and began his routine.

It was a mixture between Tai-chi and martial arts, a slow, controlled movement of stretching and balance, each gesture reserved and full of purpose as Atemu freed himself from the stresses of reality. He'd had to push Yuugi's bedside table to the other side of the room to create space and he still didn't have quite enough room to fully reach through his movements. Still, the routine brought with it a sense of familiarity, and served to quell some of the feelings of being an outsider that were tying themselves around his heart. Raising his leg, his bare toes curling into the fibers of the carpet, the fabric of his black sweatpants brushing together, Atemu pulled his arms in front of his shirtless chest and easily balanced on one leg for four minutes.

The bedroom door opened and Yuugi walked in, too preoccupied to remember to knock. The darkness of the room caught his attention, and he looked up to see orange candlelight flickering its fingers across the walls and furniture, and along the exposed skin of the man standing in front of the bed; on one leg, his other bent around his knee, his palms pressed together at the center of his chest, eyes close and face outwardly serene. Yuugi watched Atemu for a long moment, and then moved on to finding some answers to his questions. Question. There was only one question that needed an answer right now. The others could wait.

"What happened earlier?"

… or not. Yuugi bit down hard on his tongue in reprimand. There were so many emotions swirling around his head, one after another after another; too many raw nerves being scratched with sandpaper on this Sunday from hell. And Allen throwing himself into the mix was not helping his emotional state _at_ _all_. But it was too late to take back his question. That was the thing about words. They simply could not be unsaid.

Atemu didn't respond right away, lowering his leg and his arms to return himself to a normal and relaxed posture. Drawing out from his center, he blinked at Yuugi before turning around and reaching for the white undershirt on the bed. "What do you mean?" His voice was supple, and low, and noticeably tired.

"This morning," Yuugi continued, unwilling to allow Atemu to play dumb. "What happened?"

Atemu pulled his shirt over his head and went to move the bedside table back to its proper place. "It wasn't my finest moment, was it?"

"Huh?" Yuugi took a step further into the room, annoyed that Atemu was busying himself rather than talking to him face to face. "No," he said, though he wasn't sure what he was saying no to, "what I meant was what did I do wrong?"

Atemu paused in his movements, his expression falling into one of confusion. "You didn't do anything wrong, Yuugi," he said, straightening and looking at the other man. "Why would you think that?"

Yuugi had the sincere desire to yell at him for being uncharacteristically stupid, but the honest puzzlement on Atemu's face left his jaw hanging open with no sound coming out of his mouth. "Well," he said once he recovered, sarcasm supporting his words, "I can't say I'm accustomed to the people I'm kissing pushing me away and locking themselves in the bathroom."

"Oh." Atemu continued pushing the table back into place. "That. You shouldn't blame yourself for that."

"Why not?" Yuugi said when it became obvious he wasn't going to be given an explanation. "I did something to screw it up. I mean, we were going along pretty well I thought." He raised a hand to his mouth, supporting his elbow with his forearm. "You're really good at kissing. You should initiate more often. I'd sure enjoy it."

Atemu didn't rise to the flattery. "It was just time for it to stop." Then, as though in afterthought, "You were going to be late to meet your friends."

Yuugi glowered at Atemu's back, the man now occupying himself by making the bed. He had a feeling it was something to do with his friends. Hell, he knew _that_. But if that were true, then why didn't Atemu sound angry at them? He groaned loudly in frustration. "What am I doing wrong with you?!" he spat, though he didn't hear the harshness of his own words. "Why can't I get you to trust me?"

"What?" Atemu asked, surprised. He slowly sat on the edge of the bed. "But I do trust you, Yuugi."

"No you don't." Yuugi started to pace, too lost in himself to notice the worried look on Atemu's features. "You wouldn't keep pushing me away if you did. I've never been pushed away so much in one week!"

"But I haven't been pushing you away." The hurt at the accusation didn't appear to reach Yuugi's ears as the man kept muttering to himself about his failures. Didn't he realize that Atemu had been trying so hard to let him in? Atemu didn't like people being emotionally close to him, but he didn't think he'd done anything to indicate to Yuugi that he didn't want to know him. Unless emotional closeness wasn't what Yuugi was referring to? Surely the man had enough sense not to…

"Unless you mean physically?"

"Well _of course_! Every time we start getting serious you stop things. I don't understand _why_."

"Why is being physical that important to you?" Atemu asked quietly.

"Why _isn't_ it important to you?" Yuugi countered, pausing in his pace around the room. "Do you not like sex or something?"

Atemu remained quite, and Yuugi had no doubt whatsoever that the line he had crossed this morning he had just thoroughly obliterated. Atemu's hunched posture told him as much, and Yuugi wanted to kick himself for opening his mouth when he was in no condition to think rationally. His face began to flush in embarrassment from his words. He didn't want to push Atemu further away! And… and oh god… he'd just acted exactly as Honda and Jounochi accused him of behaving. Someone who expected sex in return for… return for…

Many more self-depreciating thoughts were abruptly halted when Atemu's tender, sympathetic voice broke through the silence.

"You value yourself so little? Heba, you are far too beautiful to judge yourself on such meaningless successes."

Hard. Yuugi fell back hard against his door, mouth open and eyes wide in fear. He barely registered Atemu standing quickly from the bed and reaching for him in concern, but when he did he frantically shook his head and reached behind him to open the door. He exited the room so fast that he missed the defeated look in Atemu's eyes and the way his hand stilled in mid-reach, fingers curling into his palm. All Yuugi could think was that he had to call Allen and accept his invitation.

He had to get out of here.

* * *

The lime-green taxi waited patiently for the group of friends to say their goodbyes. The luggage had been loaded, the meter was running, and the driver was perfectly content to read the local newspaper and sip at his bitter, black brew of convenience store coffee. Morning light had just broken free of the clouds, and the silver outline of gray mist was reluctantly giving way to a brighter, bluer hue. The driver adjusted the A/C so it could begin defrosting his windshield.

Yuugi was busy locking the door to the game shop, his friends clumped around the taxi. Anzu had her arms around her shoulders, having forgotten to bring a light sweater for the early morning chill. Jounochi was never cold so was quite content to lean against the frame of the taxi, and Honda was preoccupied with the task of warming his hands under his arms. The late-night phone call the evening before that summoned the group had been unexpected, to say the least. Yuugi had just returned for the first time in three years, only to leave a week later for ten days. His voice had been edgy, and though he argued that he was perfectly capable of getting himself to the airport, Jounochi wasn't about to let Yuugi leave the country without first making sure things were settled at home. Honda and Anzu were present for similar reasons.

"Well, that's it," Yuugi said as he came down the sidewalk and stood in front of his friends. He handed Jounochi his spare key for emergency purposes, seeing as how his mother was going out of town for a couple of days and neither she nor Yuugi wanted Sugoroku to be reliant solely on law enforcement in the case an urgent situation arose. "I don't think there's anything else."

Honda looked around the scene, unable to keep himself from asking, "Aren't your grandfather or Atemu going to see you off?"

"Grandpa mumbled a goodbye this morning before falling back asleep," Yuugi said while he gave Anzu a friendly hug goodbye. "And Atemu's already been at work for an hour."

Jounochi frowned. "You mean he wouldn't go in a little late?"

Yuugi attempted to ignore the comment. "We said our farewells last night. It's not like this is some dramatic sendoff. I'll be back in a few of days."

"He could have saved you the taxi and driven you in that sweet ride of his," Honda said. He crossed his arms over his chest, a look of sternness on his face.

"And _you_ could have offered to drive him in that antique of yours." Anzu punched Honda in the shoulder to distract him from his train of thoughts against Atemu. The last thing they needed to do was start a fight as Yuugi was leaving for the airport. "We all make decisions."

"But who'd want to ride in that piece of junk when they can go in style in a BMW?" Jounochi demanded with a cheeky grin on his lips. "Still, he owed you that much, to see you off."

"Would you stop telling me what he owes me?" Yuugi grumbled. He pushed himself between Honda and Jounochi and opened the passenger door to the taxi. "I'm perfectly aware of what he owes me."

"Whatever you say, pal." Jounochi put his hand on the door and shut it for Yuugi once he was inside the car, the window having been rolled down so the smaller man could stick his head out at his friends. "Will he need help?"

"Help?" Yuugi asked, baffled.

"With his things," Honda clarified. "Moving's a bitch."

"He's moving?" Yuugi wish he could have taken back that question; his voice had sounded so stupid. "What are you talking about? He's not moving." His eyes narrowed in thought, then began to crease in accusation when he saw the apologetic look Anzu was giving him. "Oh you've _got_ to be kidding me…"

"You mean you're letting him stay here? Even when you're not here?" Jounochi and Honda exchanged glances, and though Yuugi didn't know what message they sent to each other, he was certain it wasn't one that he'd be happy to hear voiced. "What do your mom and grandpa think about this?"

"Give it a rest guys," Anzu said, shoving the two men aside and kneeling next to the cab. She smiled at Yuugi, encouraging him to take the opportunity to run while Jounochi and Honda were distracted. "They'll be fine," she said quietly so only Yuugi could hear. "They just think they need to mark their territory."

"I'll leave it to you then to keep them in line," Yuugi chuckled. He waved at his friends and told the driver he was ready to leave. As the cab pulled away from the curb he turned and shouted out the window, "Behave yourselves!"

The message sounded friendly enough to the driver. Jounochi and Honda heard the warning. They had decided, after discussing the situation at the beach, that Yuugi wasn't seeing the situation clearly and that a visit to Atemu was warranted. Nothing threatening, of course. Just a simple clearing of the air. Lost in the planning of their intervention, neither was prepared for the feminine hand that suddenly appeared in front of Jounochi.

"Give it," Anzu said.

"What?" Jounochi said, stunned at the demand.

"The key, you dolt." Anzu prodded his chest with mild force. "You accuse of Atemu of mooching off Yuugi. Have you forgotten your tendencies when he's out of town and you have his key?"

Jounochi looked affronted, but knew better than to argue with that particular tone in Anzu's voice. "Gramps likes the company," he argued as he shoved his hand into his pocket. "Besides, _I've_ been invited by him and Yuugi's mom to come whenever I like."

"Yes," Anzu agreed, taking the key and putting it safely into her purse. "Come and _knock_." She turned on her heel and walked back towards her house, throwing a wave over her shoulder and hiding the smirk on her face. Taking the key was about all she could do to make sure Honda and Jounochi didn't get any wild ideas. She couldn't keep them away from Atemu, but at least now they wouldn't have twenty-four hour access to what was currently the man's home. They'd probably settle down in a couple of days when Sugoroku hadn't called them and complained about elder abuse.

Jounochi scowled after Anzu, his hands in his pockets in indignation. What was with her sudden acceptance of Atemu anyway? She'd felt just as he did only a few days ago, and then she comes out with this protective streak? It was just plain weird, and he didn't understand it, and so to save himself the headache chalked it up to that aspect of femininity that would never include the male species. Now looking out for Yuugi, that was something his masculine ego could understand and rally towards. Jounochi looked at Honda expectantly.

"So now what?" Honda asked. "Plan B?"

Jounochi snickered. "You've got to admire her. She ain't no dummy. Too bad she underestimates us."

* * *

_to be continued…_


	9. Know Your  Place

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Sorry this took a little while to come out. I got into a reading mode and forgot to write the stories in my head. Well, at least this means that the next couple of chapters should come out fairly quickly because they've been thought about so much. As a side note, I really didn't mean to give such a bad impression of Allen. I hope this chapter clarifies him a bit, and also helps to move Atemu's development along (which as been caterpillar slow). The next chapter is going to be a rough one for him.

Enjoy!

- Ocean

To Wekh: I've thought long and hard about how to respond to you. There is really only one thing I want to say: Don't hide a criticism about someone's spelling under the guise of a 'critique,' or try to soften the impact of a mild-flame by telling me I appear intelligent enough to see your 'critique' for the help that it is. If I misspell a name, just let me know. That's all that is necessary. I doubt I'll hear from you again after this since you don't typically leave reviews except, apparently, to 'correct' someone and I'm willing to accept that. What you gave me was a spelling lesson. A critique offers aid in content, plot, characterization and scene development. I ask that in the future you understand this difference and chose your words more carefully. I mean no offense, simply to clarify that your words were borderline-hurtful. I sincerely hope you continue reading and enjoying this story.

* * *

**  
Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Nine – Know Your Place_

When Atemu returned home from work the evening of Yuugi's departure, he was mildly surprised to find Jounouchi and Honda sitting in the living room watching television while Sugoroku talked quietly on the phone in the kitchen. Yuugi hadn't mentioned to him that his friends would be coming over, though he had told Atemu that it was customary to give Jounouchi a key to the house for his grandfather's safety. The younger man had been adamant that this in no way reflected his trust in Atemu's ability to handle an emergency, just that he didn't want the Egyptian to feel responsible for his family while he was at work. It had been sweet, actually, the way Yuugi was intent on getting this message across despite his embarrassed fidgeting and the hint of a flush on his cheeks. Atemu reassured Yuugi that no insult was taken and that he should worry about preparing for the seminar instead of hurting his feelings.

It had been a long day for Atemu, Seto having asked him to remain after hours so the two could correlate a presentation they'd be giving at the end of the week. The hour was quite late, nearing 9:30pm, and Atemu had been looking forward to taking a nice, hot shower, grabbing a cup of tea and hitting the sheets. The thought of having the entire bed to himself was exceptionally appealing. He didn't mind sharing a bed with Yuugi, of course – quite the opposite – but it was going to be heavenly not to have someone roll over on him and wake him up every few hours, especially when he was this tired.

Setting down his briefcase at the top of the stairs, Atemu turned toward the living room to offer a greeting to Yuugi's friends; Honda and Jounouchi, if he remembered correctly from the photo he'd been shown, were looking at him with suspicious expressions that he wasn't sure he deserved. The greeting died on his lips, and Atemu waited to see what Yuugi's friends had on their minds.

"You're home a little late, aren't you?" Honda said. His voice was strong and steady and there was no attempt to hide the insinuation that Atemu had been up to no good.

"It's only polite to call and let people know," Jounouchi added. "Though I suppose you don't think you owe anyone that, seeing as how Yuugi ain't here."

Atemu frowned softly at the accusation. He honestly didn't understand what he had done to make these men so distrusting of him. He felt no ill will towards them, even with their seeming influence over Yuugi, so why they felt that way towards him was a mystery. But they were Yuugi's friends, and he wasn't going to stoop to their level and be rude when it was uncalled for.

"I did call," Atemu said quietly, removing his jacket and walking to the hall closet. "I called as soon as I knew I'd be late."

Honda and Jounouchi looked at each other before the brunette answered. "We didn't hear anything about it."

"I didn't know you were here," Atemu explained as he removed a hanger from the closet and strung his jacket over it. "I talked to Sugoroku. He didn't mention that the two of you would be over."

Jounouchi had to frown at this, knowing that what Atemu said made sense. He could tell that Honda believed it to be only a lucky coincidence that Atemu had called before he and Jounouchi had intruded on the elder Motou for dinner, claiming that Yuugi had asked them to keep an eye on his family to make sure they behaved while he was gone. It was rather presumptuous of them to think that with their buddy out of town Atemu would automatically keep them informed as to his whereabouts. Jounouchi inwardly flinched at his own actions. Apparently he hadn't thought this through as well as he'd led himself to believe. Despite this minor setback, there was one thing that Atemu said that Jounouchi didn't like, and that was the casual manner he spoke about Sugoroku. He didn't use any honorific, and Jounouchi was certain that it wasn't because he had forgotten. Japanese being his second language or not, Jounouchi still believed that their customs should be followed. He knew that the elder Motou was very strict about matters of protocol, especially when it came to addressing someone older than yourself. It had taken several months for Jounouchi and Honda to earn the privilege of calling the man 'Grandpa,' and that came around only because Yuugi considered them family.

"Better not let him hear you call him that," Jounouchi said. There was no warning in his voice, however considering the animosity that existed between the three men there was little possibility it was a neutral statement. "Gramps doesn't like us young folk calling him by his name unless he invites them to."

Atemu closed the closet door and looked at it in confusion, his brows drawn together over his eyes. "But he did." He looked at Jounouchi to say, "I'm sure he's invited you two as well? Knowing what good friends you are with Yuugi?"

Honda bit the inside of his cheek and Jounouchi adverted his gaze. Atemu had inadvertently hit a sore point within the men and he found his nerves jumping a bit at the realization. Not wanting to antagonize the situation any further he asked what he hoped was a neutral question. "Have you two been here long?"

"A few hours." Jounouchi repositioned himself on the couch, leaning back against the arm so he didn't have to twist his neck to see Atemu. "I thought Grandpa would like the company." This was true, though of course the ulterior motive was obvious to everyone in the room, including the elderly man sitting in the kitchen.

"That was nice of you," Atemu said with a small smile, meaning every word. By the look on the other faces, however, it was apparent his sincerity was not believed. He sighed audibly, too tired to defend against unwarranted suspicion. "Will you be staying the night?"

Honda's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms defensively, an eyebrow rising in question. "_Why?_"

"I was going to gather the extra sheets and pillows for you if you were, since I'm at the closet anyway." When the expression didn't change Atemu decided that his efforts were meaningless and that it would be best if he just left the sight of the two younger men. He straightened and walked to the stairs to gather his briefcase when he was interrupted by an infinitely friendlier voice.

"I thought I heard you Atemu," Sugoroku said, emerging from the kitchen. He held out the steaming mug of tea he was holding for Atemu to take, offering a smile as he did so. "Long day, wasn't it?"

Atemu happily took the mug and wrapped his fingers around it, letting the warmth of the liquid penetrate his sore hands. "Mmm," he agreed, taking a sip of the sweetened tea. "Had to be done though. Now the rest of the week should be pretty normal and I'll get home at a decent hour."

Sugoroku nodded, providing Atemu a protected moment to relax and enjoy some time free from Honda's and Jounouchi's snobbery. "Atemu?" he asked once he felt the man was ready, "If you have a free moment this week, I was wondering if you'd be willing to help me with something? Sarah told me I should ask if you'd look at some of my paperwork for me." He bowed his head a bit sheepishly. "I'm missing about twenty-three thousand yen and we can't seem to figure out why."

Atemu smiled genuinely at that, touched that anyone would openly seek his help and believe that he was capable of giving it. "Of course, Sugoroku," he said, bending down to pick up his briefcase. "It may not be until Friday, but if you can wait that long I'd be happy to help you."

Sugoroku smirked at the reaction he was able to invoke in the young Egyptian. It was easy to see the light shining in his eyes when such a simple gesture was extended towards him. It made him wonder what had happened in the man's life that made someone asking him for help such a large show of trust. Well, whatever it had been, at least Atemu was still able to feel happiness. It was a shame that not everyone enjoyed seeing him cheerful.

"Heck, _we_ can help you with that, if it's just looking at numbers." Sugoroku scowled at Honda but the look went unnoticed, the brunette's attention fixed solely on Atemu. "Anyone can look at numbers."

"And _we're_ available all week," Jounouchi added. "You don't have to wait 'til Friday Gramps."

Sugoroku groaned when he noticed the happy air about Atemu fade and the attempt of the other man not to roll his eyes impatiently. His grandson's friends had not only implied that Atemu's help wasn't necessary or worth waiting for, but also by saying that the task was so simple that anyone could do it insulted his entire profession, insinuating that he wasn't an intelligent person. What his grandson saw in these two boys Sugoroku was at a lost to understand. Their bluntness was beyond rude and did nothing more than show the two's desperate attempts to mark their territory in _his_ home. They were nice boys, he supposed, but they didn't know when not to push the boundaries. His living room was no venue for a pissing contest.

"Be that as it may," Sugoroku said, looking straight at Atemu so the man would understand his unspoken words. "I'd rather have a professional's opinion. This is regarding the future of my business, not some way to pass the time." He turned back to the boys. "Thanks anyway." He patted Atemu on the shoulder, indicating that it was time for him to head on down the hallway.

Once Atemu had gone into Yuugi's bedroom and shut the door to prepare for his shower Sugoroku walked into the living room, hands in his pockets, and stood behind the couch Honda and Jounouchi were occupying. He wasn't surprised when the blonde opened his mouth to speak.

"Seriously, we can help you," Jounouchi insisted. "You don't have to rely on _him_."

"We don't even know him!" Honda said.

"That's it then, isn't it?" Sugoroku inquired. He was satisfied with the stunned expressions. "_You_ don't know him, so _I_ shouldn't trust him." Turning his back on the young adults, he tossed a few words over his shoulder before retiring to the kitchen. "Yuugi trusts him and that's enough for me right now. Now go home. I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of you over the next nine days."

* * *

And that was how evenings went for Atemu while Yuugi was in Hawaii. Every night he came home Honda or Jounouchi would be at the house - sometimes together but usually it was Jounouchi by himself, and Atemu would be forced to endure a night of sly insults in regards to his character, his job, his ethnicity, his familiarity with the Motou household and family and, most recently, his continuing presence in the home despite Yuugi's absence. Sugoroku offered his support when he could, but Yuugi's friends were careful to make sure their comments were only loud enough for Atemu's ears. Even when Friday evening rolled around and he was helping Sarah and Sugoroku as promised Jounouchi had managed to anonymously offer his opinion on a fairly regular basis. 

It was rather disheartening the _persistence_ Jounouchi and Honda had at making his life uncomfortable. Their words were never overly vicious or cruel, but they certainly stung, and latched together night after night it was enough to take a toll on anyone. Outside of his coworkers Atemu didn't know anyone and therefore didn't have any social activities. His meditation sufficed to calm his nerves, but Honda and Jounouchi made it a habit to 'accidentally' barge into Yuugi's room whenever he was doing a routine. He'd been able to find a bookstore that sold novels written in Arabic and so had been able to take up the pleasure of reading. As much as he enjoyed the pastime, the world of fantasy and imagination could not make up for the lack of social connections.

The loneliness was slowly creeping up on him, and every time he turned around to glare it back into submission it would audaciously stop and wave at him. When Yuugi was around the isolation wasn't so bad. Aside from the fact that, much to his embarrassment, he was in love with the man, simply having someone similar in age that was curious about him and his hobbies was enough to satisfy the craving to interact with another human being. Atemu had never been one who needed a crowd around him to feel wanted, but watching the interaction between the Motou family, and Sarah, and hearing the laughter that always surrounded Jounouchi and Honda punched into him exactly how much he had lost when he'd been kicked out of Egypt. And it hurt, deep within his gut, like someone repeatedly kicking him in the stomach after he had already fallen to the ground in defeat.

Surprisingly, Anzu had come over one evening and invited him to dinner. He'd been shocked into accepting the offer as Gina and Sugoroku practically shoved him out the door with Anzu giggling in their wake. They had gone to a local Pizzeria and just… talked. She had taken the time to get to know him, without accusations or assumptions about his character, and Atemu had found himself falling gladly into the friendship she offered. He wasn't entirely certain if there were any strings attached, but Anzu's sincere smiles and laughter had him believing in her. Some of the shadows that crowded his heart were lifted as he came to realize that he was indeed capable of making friends in this country.

It hadn't been all fun and games at the Pizzeria. Having only recently allowed himself to acknowledge his love for Yuugi it came as quite a blow when Anzu offhandedly mentioned that Yuugi was staying with an old professor friend from his semester in Hawaii. She didn't notice what she'd said at first and had continued to speak of her friend's time on the Pacific islands while the pieces clicked together in Atemu's head.

He kept the puka shell necklace Yuugi had given to him with him at all times, usually within a pocket or in his briefcase while at work. He believed Yuugi when he'd told him that the necklace was a symbol of someone caring for him. The jewelry had actually helped to ease some of the pain during the past couple of nights when the loneliness and homesickness was almost too much to bear. Never did the thought that Yuugi had lied when he'd said that the feelings between him and his professor were one-sided cross his mind, but it was still difficult to accept that Yuugi had run off to someone who had already made it clear that he was in love with him.

Atemu knew full well that Yuugi's decision to go to Hawaii had very little to do with him or his previous professor. He knew flight when he saw it; it was what Yuugi was running away from that he didn't know. Still, having finally allowed himself to open his heart to someone new, and not just in the manner of a fleeting crush, Atemu had placed himself on the path of probably being hurt again. Even with this knowledge, and knowing that nothing as of yet had happened between him and Yuugi that should cause such heartache, he couldn't find it within himself to begrudge Yuugi or wish him home. He wasn't about to burden Yuugi with fulfilling his wishes. Atemu had been on the receiving end of such demands and knew firsthand the damages they caused.

Anzu had eventually realized what she'd said and held a hand to her mouth, apologizing to Atemu for her carelessness. Atemu didn't understand why she felt he deserved an apology, but he accepted it just the same and turned the conversation onto cheerier topics. That evening he slept with the necklace wrapped tightly around his hand.

And now it was early Sunday afternoon. The week had not been an overly joyful one.

Atemu sat in the living room reading one of his books, somehow able to tune out the sound of the television and Jounouchi's jeering at the game show he was watching when the telephone rang. Placing his bookmark he rose from the chair and went to the kitchen to answer it, beating Jounouchi to the act only because the other was so engrossed in his game show. Jounouchi had made it a habit to race Atemu to the phone, posing against the doorframe every time he won in some sort of in-your-face celebration that Atemu pointedly ignored. If Yuugi's friend felt the need to fill his ego by asserting dominance over a phone he saw no reason to dissuade him.

"Hello, Motou residence," Atemu greeted lazily. He kept his back towards the living room so he wouldn't have to look at Jounouchi's guarded frown that was no doubt aimed at him.

The smile in the replying voice was obvious. "_Hey there Atemu. Fancy you up this early on a weekend._"

A grin slowly pulled itself across Atemu's mouth and settled comfortably. This was the first time Yuugi had called since letting his grandfather know his plane had arrived safely. "Sleep in late one day…" He allowed himself to chuckle, pleased to hear the sound returned. "How are you Yuugi? How goes the seminar?"

"_Wow. I never knew it was this hectic! I mean, I've been to seminars before, of course. But to actually be leading one… I need to write an apology letter to all those professors I gave such a hard time to._"

"I take it things are going well then," Atemu said, retrieving a glass from the cupboard and opening the refrigerator. "Anything that brings revelations must be good."

"_Oh don't give me that,_" Yuugi groaned. "_I've had enough on my conscious to start thinking about all the other things I need to apologize for._" He mock-growled before returning to his friendly and quiet tone. "_How are things on the home front, Até?_"

Hearing that dreadful nickname had never sounded sweeter in his ears. And he was never going to let Yuugi know how much it made him feel like he belonged. "Your mother is quite well. Apparently the manager hired a new girl to work the counter who's actually close to Gina's age. They've been out for coffee after work every night this week."

"_So Akira finally listened to mom and hired a competent employee. Mom has a new girlfriend!_" Yuugi laughed easily. "_That must make things around the house easier._"

Atemu offered no comment to that remark, though he did hum lightly to Yuugi's amusement. "Your grandfather is doing well. Jounouchi has been staying over just about every night, keeping him company-"

"_Jounouchi's been staying over?_" Yuugi interrupted, irritation hinted at in his voice. "_By that, do you mean coming over, or sleeping over?_"

Atemu inwardly winced at Yuugi's tone. He hadn't meant to say anything that would indicate that things at home weren't perfect. "Both. He and Honda take turns." He paused at the hard sigh that drifted over the line, and the emotion Yuugi was emitting triggered a thought in his mind. "Did… you not ask them to?" He made sure to lower his voice for the question, knowing that Jounouchi was listening in when the volume on the television suddenly lowered.

"_Damn it._" Yuugi was silent for a few moments, the events leading to Honda and Jounouchi staying at his house playing out in his mind. Sugoroku, though not overly fond of them, would never turn them down if they wanted to stay over, especially if they had twisted Yuugi's words to make it sound like he had wanted them to.

"Yuugi?" The softness of Atemu's voice broke Yuugi out of his thoughts. "It's alright, really. No harm's been done. It actually-"

"Hey buddy!" Jounouchi had had enough of Atemu whispering as though he weren't important enough to be included in the conversation and had grabbed the phone from Atemu from behind, not too gently pushing the other man aside. Striking his pose, he paid Atemu the same respect and turned his back on the man. Atemu sighed in resignation and went back out into the living room with his glass of water and resumed reading his book, tuning out whatever Jounouchi was going to say.

The change in voice shocked Yuugi and he jumped on the other end. "_What the hell Jounouchi?!_" he demanded. "_Atemu and I weren't done._"

"Sure you were," Jounouchi said, ignoring the edginess in his friend's voice. "Besides, I haven't had a chance to talk to you all week! And I've got _so_ much to tell you! You're going to be sorry you weren't here for half of this stuff." Jounouchi began to ramble off about all that had happened to him, his sister, Honda, and Anzu while Yuugi had been gone, unaware that his friend wasn't listening to a word he was saying. Of course, Jounouchi had never required verbal cues to encourage him to talk, so the silence didn't register as a threat.

Yuugi's mind was working on overdrive. Jounouchi could be rude, no question, but to actually take the phone from Atemu in mid-sentence and _push_ him aside – he had heard the resulting grunt of surprise - … it made him think back to what Jounouchi had said the morning of his flight to Hawaii. He had a bad feeling about the way his friends may have been treating Atemu without him around and this act only heightened his suspicions. He didn't expect physical violence, but verbal… Honda and Jounouchi did have nasty mouths on them when they were in Attack Mode. Why had he been so naïve to believe that his friends would behave themselves while he was gone? He'd already left Atemu in a less than ideal state of self-confidence. The man certainly didn't need anyone working on him while he was trying so hard to heal himself.

With irritation giving way to anger Yuugi interrupted Jounouchi, his voice low enough to be considered a growl. "_Jounouchi._ Why _have you been staying at my house?_"

Jounouchi hesitated, confused. "To keep an eye on grandpa, of course. Why else would I be here?"

"_You tell me._"

The words weren't accusations so much as they were revealers to the fact that Yuugi was fully aware of Jounouchi's intentions and was determined to make him say them out loud. Jounouchi bristled, not able to understand why Yuugi was acting so weird about Atemu. He'd spent every night with the man and couldn't see why Yuugi would be interested in someone who wouldn't even stand up for himself when insulted, and he'd made it his mission to insult Atemu at every opportunity.

"_Yes_, I've been keeping an eye on him," Jounouchi confessed. "Someone has to while you're not here. We're not all so trusting of him as you are."

"_Ji-chan likes him._"

"You sure about that?" Jounouchi raised his eyebrow in question even though Yuugi couldn't see him. "Or is he just being nice to stay on your good side?"

That wasn't crossing the line; that was jumping clear over it. "_Put Atemu back on._"

"Yug, let's talk-"

"_NOW!_"

Knowing that Yuugi never shouted unless he was seriously pissed, Jounouchi angrily shook his head and shouted for Atemu to get his ass to the phone. He stomped to the kitchen table and sat on its top, both arms and legs crossed, a glare plastered on his face. When Atemu cautiously entered the kitchen and picked up the phone the dangerous vibes coming off the blonde were enough to make him keep his distance.

"Yuugi?"

All trace of anger left Yuugi's voice the moment he heard Atemu on the line. "_Até?_" He made sure his voice was gentle and reassuring. "_Até, I want you to be honest with me._" Yuugi gave Atemu a moment to gather himself from his obnoxious summon. "_Is Jounouchi being the ass I think he is?_"

Atemu closed his eyes, sighing through his nose. Now how could he possibly answer a question like that, even if Jounouchi hadn't been in the room staring at him? 'Yes, Yuugi, one of your best friends is a total ass to me, so could you tell him to cut it out? I'd really appreciate it.' As much as he wanted to say this, there was absolutely no way that he could. And Yuugi knew it.

"_Sorry,_" Yuugi said, releasing a harsh breath. "_I know_ _you can't answer that. It's just-! You shouldn't have to go through this. They have no right to treat you this way!_"

"Whoa, hey now," Atemu soothed. "I want to be here." He decisively ignored the "duh" that came from Jounouchi. "Besides, I'm a big boy now. Drive my own car and everything. I'm O.K." When Yuugi didn't answer right away, he repeated himself. "I'm O.K. Yuugi. No one has done anything wrong." He hadn't noticed it until now, but he'd been playing with the necklace in his pocket since he picked up the phone, an action that thankfully went unnoticed by Jounouchi.

Jounouchi was growing nervous. Atemu seemed way too calm to him after all he had been putting him through, and he was still bothered by how easily Yuugi had yelled at him. The Atemu in front of him was not the one he had painted in his head; a man who would do or say anything to make the situation beneficial to him. He'd had the perfect opportunity to rat out all that Jounouchi had been doing and saying, and instead had told Yuugi there had been no wrong-doing in his absence. The image of a nice Atemu didn't sit well in his stomach. He felt the dire need to get a soda from the refrigerator to settle both his stomach and his nerves. Instead, he remained sitting on the kitchen table, watching Atemu with a bit more caution, until the man opened his eyes and turned to him with a sympathetic look on his face. After saying goodbye to Yuugi, Atemu handed Jounouchi the phone.

"He wishes to speak to you again," Atemu said before returning to the living room.

Jounouchi watched him go, not exactly eager to hear what else Yuugi had to say to him. Steeling his nerves, he pressed the phone to his ear and muttered, "Yeah, Yug?"

"_When I told you to behave yourself,_" Yuugi said, voice deathly calm. "_What made you think I was joking?_"

* * *

"Daiben!"

The foreign curse was accentuated by the slamming of a phone back onto its cradle, the force threatening to crack the cheap plastic. The other occupant in the room, a tall, slim man with reddish-brown hair that was short in front and long down his neck, hid a chuckle at the noise, covering his mouth with his arm as though he were coughing instead of laughing. Green eyes the shade of a ripe avocado looked calmly to the man that stood fuming over the phone, the clenching and unclenching fists giving a mild indication that perhaps the call home had not gone according to plan.

"So," Allen said slowly, rising from his chair and slipping his hands into his dress slacks he had yet to remove since returning from the seminar. "How's life?"

Yuugi glared at his friend over his shoulder, mumbling something else impolite in Japanese so Allen wouldn't know the specifics of the pox he was placing on his head. Allen simply laughed and went over to the wet-bar that was situated near the room's only window and grabbed a bottle of scotch, used to Yuugi's outburst and choice Japanese phrases. He found it quite charming how the young man was unaware of his switch back into his native tongue whenever he was upset, grinning at a memory of a one-sided conversation in Japanese before Yuugi remembered that Allen only spoke English.

"My friends are assholes," Yuugi eventually said, forcing himself to calm down with a painfully deep breath.

"Ah," Allen said knowingly, pouring two shots of the potent alcohol and walking across the room to hand one to Yuugi. "The best kind of friends to have. You always know where you stand with friends like that."

"Yeah," Yuugi agreed, taking the proffered glass, "as far away as possible." He brought the shot glass to his nose and sniffed, scrunching his face at the bitter fragrance. "You know, booze doesn't cure all ills, Allen."

"Doesn't hurt to try." Raising his glass in a cheer Allen downed his drink, Yuugi following suit. Returning the empty glasses to the wet-bar he invited his friend to join him at the windowsill. "So what happened, Yuugi?" he asked delicately once they had settled comfortably.

Yuugi sighed, banging his forehead gently against the window. "They won't leave him alone."

Allen watched Yuugi carefully, noting the tension in the other man's body. He sighed, "You didn't expect them to, did you?"

Looking sideways at the older man, Yuugi eventually snorted and turned his gaze back out the window. "That isn't the point. The point is he hasn't done a damn thing to them for them to act this way. They tried to tell me that they're just protecting me, but I don't buy it." His hands began tap against his legs in his agitation.

"You'd be a fool to believe that," Allen said lightly. "Whenever someone announces that their actions are for the protection of someone else you know there is an ulterior motive."

Closing his eyes against the truth of those words Yuugi allowed Allen to place a hand on his shoulder, rubbing tenderly to try and ease some of his anxiety. He folded his leg beneath him and played with his shoelace, somewhat distracting himself with the fascinating custom of Americans not removing their shoes within the home. He didn't see the compassionate look in his friend's eyes, or the sadness that pulled at his features. His head was a thousand miles away in Japan, focused on a living room and the gorgeous Egyptian sitting therein.

"Yuugi?" Allen prompted when the other shifted against the window, obviously wanting to voice his concerns.

"I'm not used to this Allen," Yuugi confessed.

"Used to what, Ramus?" It was so easy for Allen to fall into the use of his nickname for Yuugi, with the young man in his home, sitting so close. Peter Ramus was a famous mathematician who lived during the 1500s, known for his works on logic and rhetoric, both of which were abundantly apparent in his then-student. When the semester had ended and Yuugi had returned to Japan all those years ago, even with the one-sided feelings the two had promised to always remain close. Less than lovers, more than friends. It was a difficult balance for Allen to maintain, but he wasn't going to threaten the trust he and Yuugi shared for anything.

"To caring so much," Yuugi sighed, his shoulders slumping with the released breath. "When I'm around him I'm happy but frustrated. When he's at work I'm content and eager for him to come home. I kiss him and he responds. And then he goes and pushes me away simply because I want to sleep with him? What the hell is all that about? He acted like it was some great insult or something!" Yuugi crossed his arms in a huff. "I don't get how he can kiss me like that and expect me to _not_ want to have sex. Seriously, that _man_…!"

"Don't be too hard on him Yuugi. He hasn't had a chance to get comfortable with you yet." Allen beamed at the returning glare. Leaning back against the window frame and crossing his legs beneath him, he asked Yuugi the one question he hoped would lead the younger man down a calmer road. "You realize you love him, don't you?"

"I'm not stupid," Yuugi snapped. He pursed his lips, looking thoughtfully at his former professor. "Of course I love him. That much is obvious," he said to clarify. "But it's not like some girly romantic fantasy or some shit like that."

"Never said it was," Allen observed, tilting his head to the side while noting the defensiveness in Yuugi's voice. "But that's what someone believes, isn't it?" When Yuugi continued staring at him for a full ten seconds before nodding he continued, "Which one of your friends told you that?"

Yuugi shrugged, his eyes glancing around the room. "It's more a mutual understanding," he said. "Love is for losers. Sure, you like someone for a while, maybe love them during that time, but it doesn't last and you get over it and move on. That's how it's supposed to work."

There was a pregnant pause that surrounded the two men, each lost in their own thoughts regarding the intricacies of love. Allen knew Yuugi well enough not to believe any of the bullshit he'd just spouted. Yuugi was a romantic at heart even if he didn't want to admit it, meaning that he believed that you could find someone who made you so happy and complete you would willingly give them your love and it would last a lifetime. It wasn't about clichéd romance; of forced walks on the beach on moonlit nights or friends leaving you alone in front of a fireplace for a 'private moment.' Such events were trite in the real world despite being fun. Real romance came from knowing your partner's routine in the morning, the way they preferred their eggs cooked or the plots in their movies to run, weathering the bad moods without succumbing to the childish notion that a single disagreement meant the end of a relationship, forgiving the unintentional actions that caused pain, offering and accepting apologies, sharing a bathroom sink while brushing your teeth together in the morning, and so many more mundane activities that constituted daily life. But at one point Yuugi had allowed himself to be drug along with the notion that love was nothing more than a fairytale emotion that lasted no longer than a Disney movie.

"There is a way you can make this much easier on yourself. And on him, if you wanted." Allen spoke softly to get Yuugi to look at him, knowing that to raise his voice would make him sound like his next words were being said against his will and weren't genuine. When those deep blue eyes tinted with violet streaks finally turned to him, swirling with thoughtful interest, Allen nodded his head and leaned forward with his arms resting on his knees. "Admit that loving him isn't a bad thing to do."

After a long, thick, awkward moment, Yuugi smirked at his professor.

* * *

_to be continued…_

Notes:

23,000 Japanese yen equals a little less than $200 USD  
Daiben – another way of saying 'shit' in Japanese  
Peter Ramus was a French mathematician who wrote a whole series of textbooks on logic and rhetoric, grammar, mathematics, astronomy, and optics.


	10. Family Ties

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: I'm one of those writers who thinks about scenes for weeks on end, and then in one sudden burst it all comes out in a marathon session of typing. I'm sorry this results in semi-slow updates. ' That, and I've been interviewing at temp agencies to get a job. It kills the writing spirit a bit. What am I trying to say? Thank you for waiting!

Regarding the names that will be introduced in this chapter: don't worry too much about memorizing them. I'll try to make it clear who is who so you don't have to work at it. If I fail, I have a legend at the end of the chapter you can refer to.

Enjoy!

- Ocean

To Valkyrie: Thank you for the note on my poor choice of Japanese. I think I made it quite obvious that I know nothing about the language. I'll make sure to change it to the proper term when I revise the story, which will probably be soon. And thank you for being kind about it!

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Ten – Family Ties_

As lonely as Atemu felt before Yuugi had called home and told Jounouchi in no uncertain terms to back off and leave him alone, the isolation he felt now that Jounouchi had taken his friend's words to heart was the last straw. He hadn't realized that the negative attention he'd been receiving was soothing over the homesickness. He knew full well that he wasn't alone, that Yuugi, for inexplicable reasons, enjoyed having him around and Sugoroku was warming up to him due in no small part to Sarah's coaching, but it wasn't enough to overcome the vacancy in his heart that resulted from a family that wanted nothing to do with him.

Honda took up the rounds when Jounouchi had flat out refused to spy on Atemu anymore. The Egyptian much preferred the blond's company; though Jounouchi was quick with his mouth Honda carried himself with the imposing air of the gang member he had been before meeting Yuugi and Jounouchi and Atemu hated it. He wasn't afraid of the man by any means. He was more than capable of taking care of himself and had been forced to do so on more than one occasion back home. But the mental drain of continual threats and observation was something he simply didn't have the energy for anymore. Atemu didn't believe he was going to last the three remaining days before Yuugi's return.

He was sitting on the back of the couch in the living room, facing the kitchen, the phone cradled in both hands and his eyes distant with hesitation. Honda had been called away by Jounouchi's sister to drive her to the supermarket. Sugoroku was happily overwhelmed with young customers in his game shop. He thought he had heard Gina come home only to be recruited by her father to assist until the rush was over, but he wasn't sure. Right now, as he sat on the couch and battled with himself over what to do next was the first time he had been alone in a room for days. Oddly enough, though it was something he had wished for nightly, now that he had it the solitude only worked to sadden him further.

Steeling himself Atemu snorted against his burgeoning fear and began to dial the number he had not had the courage to call in over a year and a half.

It wasn't until after the first ring that Atemu brought the phone to his ear, pushing the plastic painfully hard against his head. He closed his eyes and chewed nervously on his bottom lip, trying not to anticipate how his call was going to be received. He didn't notice that the toe of his right foot was tapping against the floor.

Eventually, after several intense moments, someone answered the phone.

"Hi, Mazin," Atemu greeted his elder brother quietly. It felt strange to speak in his native tongue again after focusing so intently on perfecting his Japanese. Silence echoed over the phone while he clicked his tongue against his teeth to loosen it. As time passed Atemu began to think that perhaps hanging up would be a good idea until his brother changed his mind.

"_Atemu? Is that really you?_" It sounded to Atemu like his brother restrained a joyful cheer and he allowed himself a brief smile. "_Thank Allah. I didn't know if you were alive or dead._"

"That might be a matter of debate," Atemu said, laughing weakly at his poor attempt at an apology.

"_Don't start,_" Mazin said harshly. "_I know you didn't have a choice. In fact, I'm surprised you're calling so soon. Father just sent you that letter didn't he?_"

Atemu flinched, his heart clenching against the painful truth. His brother was always harsh with his choice of words, though this austerity didn't necessarily extend to the emotions behind them. Atemu knew how to tell when his brother was serious, and though there was a note of concern in Mazin's voice, there was a trace of accusation as well.

"Four months ago," Atemu conceded.

Mazin sighed heavily into the phone, noting the defeated tone in his sibling's voice. "_I'm sorry,_" he said evenly. "_Life hasn't been easy since you left. I'm not used to having my little brother away for so long._"

Atemu agreed; he'd been missing his brother too.

"_What's wrong with your voice?_" Mazin asked suddenly. "_It sounds weird. Where are you? Mother and father wouldn't tell me._"

This news didn't surprise Atemu. "I'm in Japan."

"Japan? _How in the hell did you wind up there?_"

"It was as far as I could afford to go," Atemu said.

Mazin hummed in understanding. "_Well, more power to you. You always were good with languages. I guess if any of us were going to leave Egypt and succeed it would be you._"

"Succeed?"

"_I told you to stop being modest, Atemu,_" Mazin scolded. "_You succeed in everything you do._"

"Apparently not," Atemu grumbled, his voice bitter. Mazin cursed at his stupidity, which made Atemu feel a little better. "How's Rana? And Yamha?" Asking after his brother's wife and daughter appeared to be a safe change of topic. "I haven't seen little Yamha in so long. I hope she's taken after her mother and not you."

Mazin laughed good-naturedly. "_Yamha's growing like a satiated kitten being spoiled by its mother. The way Rana fusses over her I'm surprised she isn't fat._"

"It's in a woman's nature to fuss. Mother certainly did with us," Atemu pointed out.

"_Yeah, but that's different. Do you know how hard it is to get my wife to look at me now? If I got even half the attention my daughter does my bed wouldn't be so-_"

"Stop right there and don't say another word. Your innocent little brother shouldn't be subjected to such things." Atemu smirked triumphantly at his interruption.

Mazin snorted. "_You'll understand when you get a woman._"

Neither sibling knew how to continue the conversation without instigating an argument that Atemu wasn't willing to risk and Mazin was afraid would cause more harm. His older brother had been the only person who hadn't vilified Atemu the moment his orientation had been exposed. He didn't approve of his sibling's chosen lifestyle, but he could not overcome the brotherly love and responsibility of protection that had been engrained in him since the moment of Atemu's birth. It had hurt him deeply when Atemu had fled the country to escape the persecution that followed his every waking moment but he had understood it. However, there was a small part of him that resented Atemu for making life as difficult as it had become since his secret was discovered. Mazin firmly believed, as his parents did, that Atemu was _choosing_ to practice a homosexual lifestyle. Until he decided to see the error of his choice Mazin was called upon as the sole heir of the family to be responsible for the welfare of his parents and the next generation. It was an acidic role he was forced to play because of his brother's actions.

"_Why did you call Atemu?_" Mazin sighed, his fatigue leaking through his voice.

Atemu thought about how best to answer this difficult question. He knew the superficial reason why he called, and why he called his brother and not his parents, but the real reason eluded him like a feather in the wind. "I miss home," he whispered, his hand curling tightly around the phone. "I miss everyone."

"_And we miss you,_" Mazin affirmed. "_But you're the only one who can change this._"

Atemu hung his head, pressing his palm into his face. He simply could not get his family to understand that homosexual was who he _was_, not some rebellious phase he was passing through and could change on a whim. "How's mother?" he asked distractedly. There was no need to inquire about his father; the man was not one to forgive or understand.

"_How do you think? She's devastated. Father won't let her speak about you and it's tearing her apart. You think it's easy for her to forget one of her sons_?" Mazin's anger at his brother exploded at the opening. "_She cries. Every time I see her. She's in mourning and it isn't going to stop until you stop this foolishness and come home and marry and settle down with a family of your own. Maybe _then_ you'll understand what we're going through!_"

"_Mazin_." Atemu nearly choked on the word, his fears that his brother would eventually reject him being proven with every bitten word that reached his ears. He was his last tie to his homeland. If Mazin was unwilling to accept him, Atemu had no hope of ever being welcomed back to Egypt. He was truly abandoned.

The tears Atemu tried to restrain made him sniff loudly and his voice crack with the strain. The pain seemed to reach his brother. "_Shit,_" Mazin said. "_Atemu I- … I don't know what to say to you. I don't want to hurt you, but it's the truth. I can't fight father for you. I've already tried._" He lowered his voice in an attempt to remove its harshness and let his concern for his sibling shine through. "_Stop crying little brother. Tears won't help you._"

Atemu gulped in a breath of air to calm himself but it didn't do any good. The depression, the loneliness and homesickness he had been repressing for so long were smothering him with their ferocity. Realizing that his life in Egypt was over was too much for him to handle. The pity in his brother's voice only served to worsen the despair.

"_Rana?_"

Atemu was able to quiet himself enough to hear the distant voice of his brother calling to his wife, only to be followed by an irate grunt from Mazin. "_Call me back!_" Mazin demanded, and before Atemu had the chance to understand the shuffling he heard in the background a strong, deep, and altogether recognizable voice froze his him to his core.

"_Don't you dare hang up Atemu!_" his father shouted at him over the phone.

Shock overtook misery; Atemu couldn't have hung up the phone if he'd been coherent enough to think of the action.

"_You have some nerve calling here._"

Atemu could hear his brother pleading for his mother to make their father calm down. His efforts were in vain of course, and Atemu's legs began to shake as his mind shut down. His father was the last person he had expected to be talking to when he'd reached for his brother's comfort.

"Father…"

"_You better be calling to apologize._"

"I-"

"_Do you know what you're doing to your mother? Do you?! I hope you are satisfied with the shame you have brought upon your family. We've been shunned by everyone! You're lucky we've found someone who is willing to take on our shame and marry you to get rid of it! If there is _any_ amount of loyalty in you you will come home right this instant and free us from this humiliation!_"

Hands shaking and skin drawn taut over his face in his silent grimace, Atemu's pride was able to find a spark of resistance within his soul. "I – I can't…" His voice was so broken it sounded foreign even to his ears.

"_Then I have no son. We do not acknowledge you._" The sound of Mazin calling his name was cut off by the disgusting noise of the dial tone.

* * *

The last thing Gina had expected to see at the top of the stairs in the midst of her errand to retrieve refreshments was her phone bouncing across the floor into the kitchen. It startled her so much that she jumped, having to grab the stair rail to keep herself from falling. No sooner did she lament the crack that now undoubtedly ran along the length of the phone a soft but heart wrenching wail reached her ears. Turning her head towards the sound coming from the living room, she was wholly unprepared for the sight that awaited her. 

Atemu looked _wretched_. He was sitting on the floor with his back pressed against the couch, his legs bent but his knees angled outward to make room for the head that hung between them. His body was shaking and though she couldn't see his face, Gina's instincts recognized the sounds coming from the huddled frame as that of crying. The man's arms were caged tightly around his head, though his wrists and fingers were completely lax, forgotten in the torrent of his anguish. He was so caught in his own prison that Atemu didn't notice Gina walking cautiously towards him.

Gina didn't dislike Atemu despite what others thought. How could she when he did everything she asked him to, and without the lip her own son retaliated with in his protest against the unfair expectation of responsibilities? Admittedly she didn't know him that well, but he was a better houseguest than any of Yuugi's previous projects had been. In fact, he went above and beyond by running errands for her and even taking upon himself the responsibility of dinner on the three nights she'd worked late at the bakery. She'd never had Egyptian food before Atemu had come to stay with them. What amazed her more than the delicious flavor of the food was that the man had_cooked_ it himself! If only Yuugi would learn how to make more than fast food and omelets she wouldn't have to worry about him starving when he wasn't living at home.

In all honesty Gina felt a motherly affection towards the young man that made her son smile. It was this affection that drew her to Atemu's side, kneeling beside him and reaching out her hand to lay on the back of his head soothingly. She didn't expect Atemu to flinch as though he'd been punched.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, attempting to calm to situation before Atemu was able to work himself up any further. From the moment she sat down the depth of his sobs had increased, and she could see that he was on the verge of hyperventilating. "Atemu, what happened?"

Atemu shook his head, unable to look Gina in the eye. His father no longer acknowledged him! It wasn't the same as reading the words in a letter; to hear them spoken, to hear the hatred and disappointment behind them - … his father may as well have shot him in the heart for the amount of pain he had caused. He coughed; his body's attempt to stave off the hyperventilation that was looming ever closer on the horizon.

Biting her lip and drawing her eyebrows together in worry Gina watched Atemu implode. Her eyes left him to search the room, to try and find the reason the normally calm and demure man was hysterical on her living room floor. The image of the phone being flung into the kitchen surfaced in her memory and she clung to it. "Did someone call you?" This didn't sound right because the phone in the game shop would have rung. Never mind the fact that she still couldn't get Atemu's attention. She braved placing her hand on him again, this time resting it gently on his forearm. "Did _you_ call someone? Atemu?"

Atemu tensed, the effect causing him to appear even smaller. Alright, Gina thought, so he called someone. And whoever he called… must have said something. Something really awful. Or cruel. She couldn't think of who Atemu might have called that would upset him so other than Yuugi, but she knew her son would never say anything that would break someone. Yuugi acted tough, but Gina knew her son. Still, she had to be sure. "Did you call Yuugi?"

The mention of Yuugi made Atemu stop shaking so violently, calming his movement into less volatile shivers. What would Yuugi think of him now? Not only was he a normal, boring foreigner from a country Yuugi could care less about, but now he was disowned, abandoned, and beyond pathetic. He shook his head against the agonizing truth that he wasn't going to be able to stay in Yuugi's life much longer.

Not knowing the reason behind Atemu's denial, Gina assumed it to be in answer to her question and found herself overly relieved to confirm that her son had not turned into a brutal and heartless monster. That still left the question as to who had hurt Atemu. She didn't have a clue where to start looking for her answer.

"He doesn't acknowledge me."

The whispered voice caught Gina's attention, and for reasons she couldn't explain she felt her blood turn cold. Those could be very dangerous words when used properly.

"Who doesn't acknowledge you?" Gina asked in an equally soft voice. She rubbed her hand along Atemu's arm, trying to offer comfort and support, still failing to pull Atemu from the hurt that surrounded him. "Atemu? Please, I want to help. Who hurt you?"

Finally, Atemu raised his head, but the expression on his face was one Gina had never wished to view on anyone. Confusion pulled on her features, and though she had only meant to convey her inability to understand what was bothering him Atemu must have read something else in her face because he instantly recoiled against the couch and fell on his side.

"Please I don't want to be a disappointment to anyone else!" His voice was near a shout, his eyes red and bloodshot with tears, his skin waxen. "I can't- I'm sorry!"

Gina gasped when Atemu fell over, ignoring the man's previous reactions to her touch and pulling him into her arms, cradling him against his protests. Making shushing noises she comforted Atemu as a mother would an upset child, and was relieved when he finally began to give in to the relaxing motions of their rocking. He didn't hold onto her, but he allowed himself to be held, and it was a step in the right direction. Gina tucked some of Atemu's hair behind his ear, pushing him back far enough that she could see his face, even without him looking her in the eye.

"Atemu?"

He turned his eyes towards the couch, embarrassment evident in his gaze. "They _hate_ me." Gina was about to ask who he was talking about when Atemu anticipated her question. "My family. My parents. They… they ha-" Atemu forced himself to swallow past the lump in his throat. If he didn't say this out loud now he would never be able to and it would stay inside and eat at his heart and dissolve his soul until he simply stopped caring, and that wasn't something he ever wanted to do.

Gina was stunned. "How could your parents hate you?" The thought of a mother hating her own child disgusted her. She couldn't fathom it. "I'm sure they didn't-"

"He said that he no longer acknowledges me."

Gina stared at Atemu as he kept his eyes purposefully averted from her, though he did look at her briefly and nodded at the question he saw in her eyes. "But_why_?!" she cried, unable to comprehend the horror Atemu was going through. A bitter laugh was her answer.

"I'm gay," Atemu said matter-of-factly. "Is there no greater sin?"

"Ridiculous."

The casualness of the comment surprised Atemu and drew his attention to Gina. Was she upset on his behalf? The idea utterly fascinated him, and for a moment he found himself forgetting his own pain in his desire to help her. "Hey, it's alright. This isn't directed at you."

"How _could_ they?" Gina spat, not hearing Atemu's words. "You don't just abandon your child because they're different! You don't do that! It doesn't matter what they do you just _don't_!"

Atemu bit his lip, trying not to laugh at Gina's outburst. Here was this small, petite, but battle-ready woman leading the charge of his defense against an unseen foe and for a man she barely knew who held no consequence. It was so endearing that he couldn't hold back and he laughed outright.

Gina was dumbfounded by the sudden shift in moods, watching Atemu carefully as he released some of his tension with laughter that stemmed from his gut and shook his shoulders with its force. After several long moments the amusement died down and Atemu's solemnity returned, though not as severe as before.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, rubbing his hands over his face to calm himself. "I already knew all of this. But it's so different to hear it voiced rather than to read it in a letter. I wasn't expecting it to hit me this hard."

There was a lot that Gina could say, but they sounded like empty platitudes even in her ears. By the way that Atemu was composing himself she could tell that he had his own way of dealing with stress; much like her son's it was to internalize it and put on a brave face. She had the impression that Atemu was much stronger than he let on. He'd have to be to put up with her son's friends challenging him at every opportunity. Sighing, Gina placed both hands on Atemu's shoulders and waited until the man looked at her.

"You know Atemu," she began, releasing him and standing. "Family is a relative thing. Maybe… well, there is no rule that says you only get one family." She looked at him, watching her curiously, and couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips. "Just wait until Yuugi comes home. You'll see what I mean. If I know my son, and I do, he'll explain it to you."

Satisfied with the dawning recognition on Atemu's face, Gina gathered a couple of drinks from the refrigerator and headed back down the stairs to the store, adding a parting comment on her way.

"You are welcome here, Atemu. As long as you like."

She didn't see the shock on Atemu's face, but she didn't need to. She knew in her heart that was the one thing the young man longed to hear.

* * *

She eyed her opponents over the rim of her cards, watching each man intently, looking for any clues that would tell her what they were thinking. Both men had their expressions carefully guarded; she wasn't going to learn anything from them. It was going to rely on skill alone. Drawing in a deep breath between her teeth she steadied herself, reached forward, and drew a card from the pile. 

"Gin!"

Sarah grinned madly as she collected her winnings – a pile of poker chips that served as a visual reminder of how many points she had caught her opponents with – relishing in the complaints that where being issued around the table. She was on a role tonight and had no qualms about rubbing it in Atemu's and Sugoroku's faces.

"Card shark," Sugoroku quipped as he handed Gina twenty-five chips. He leaned towards Atemu and whispered conspiratorially, "I believe it's time you and I called a truce and joined forces. It's the only way to stop the enemy."

"Agreed," Atemu said, tossing ten chips across the table to Gina. "Where did you learn to play?"

"My family always played cards at night. We didn't have a T.V. back then." Gina gathered the cards and pulled them into a pile to begin shuffling. "I could never beat my father though. I'm certain the man cheated." She laughed when Sugoroku rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, it sounds better than me losing all the time doesn't it?"

"I don't believe a word you're saying dear."

"You can't tell me you don't know he's letting us win?" Gina said, motioning towards Atemu, who looked affronted at the accusation. "Isn't that right dear?"

"Hardly," Atemu snorted, picking up the cards Gina dealt to him. "My pride is thoroughly wounded here."

"You're distracted," Sugoroku commented, perusing his own cards. This hand wasn't all that much better than his last. "It's the same thing."

Atemu averted his gaze to the floor and lowered his hand, careful not to expose his cards. Distracted was the polite way of saying he hadn't been paying much attention to anything since he called his brother two days ago. He had buried his emotions pretty efficiently the night before and been able to return to himself, but apparently he hadn't done as good a job as he'd thought. Of course, assuming that he was distracted about his family was not an entirely correct postulation.

Sugoroku and Sarah exchanged knowing glances. Gina had told them of Atemu's phone call; Atemu filled in some of the relevant details later that evening. He didn't explain everything, but they knew they were now his only semblance of family. It was a role Sugoroku and Sarah had decided would be delightful to play.

"I'm sorry," Atemu said quietly.

"No need," Sugoroku said, taking hold of Atemu's wrist and raising it back into position so the next game could begin. "It's only been a couple of days. No one expects you to be Superman."

Atemu shuddered at the image. "Me in tights. Not a good thing." He opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue to further demonstrate how distasteful the idea was to him.

Both Sarah and Sugoroku recognized the humor as an attempt to dodge the issue and decided to indulge him. Besides, if they were going to act as surrogate grandparents, they had many years of ribbing to catch up on.

"Yuugi's coming home tomorrow, isn't that right?" Sarah asked Atemu, discarding her first card of the game.

Atemu gave her a suspicious look. She knew full well the answer to that question. "Sarah…" he said playfully. He shook his finger at her, grinning. "What are you planning over there?"

"Not a thing, dear." Sarah winked openly at Sugoroku. "I believe the seed has already been planted."

"My grandson loves apples," Sugoroku said. "I know he'd appreciate it a _great deal_ if you made him an apple pie to welcome him home."

The color drained from Atemu's face before he blushed profusely. He knew his feelings for Yuugi were pretty obvious, but to so blatantly tease him about it! It was down right degrading. He glared at Sarah, then at Sugoroku, then at his cards. A smirk grew on his lips, but the blush stubbornly remained.

"Tell me, Sarah," he said, picking up the card she had discarded. "Have you tired of winning yet?"

* * *

_to be continued…_

Translations:

Mazin – Arabic: meaning 'Proper name.' Atemu's brother.  
Rana - Arabic: meaning 'To gaze, look.' Mazin's wife, Atemu's sister-in-law.  
Yamha – Arabic: meaning 'Dove.' Mazin's daughter, Atemu's niece.


	11. Simple Love, Complex Touch

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: This took so long to get out! I had an interesting two weeks at a new job that did not turn out well, so I've been very distracted. Also, this is a chapter I've been looking forward to writing, and it proved to be one of the most difficult for reasons that elude me. Because of this the response to reviews for chapter ten are going to come within the next couple of days instead of preceding the chapter, as usual. I really hope you like this chapter!

Enjoy!

- Ocean

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Eleven – Simple Love, Complex Touch_

It was early Friday morning; not too early for the sun to be present over the horizon, but early enough for those people who were not at the airport for business flights to be cranky over being awake and alert at such an inappropriate hour. The parking lot was moderately full with cars. Taxis of both bright yellow and hideous green circled anxiously, looking for either passengers or a clear section of road where they could stop and unload their patrons. The skycaps looked bored and attempted to ease this state by pacing in front of their airlines, nodding politely to those who passed through the automatic doors that led to the airport interior.

The oblong shape of the baggage claim carousels dotted the basement of the airport, making it appear more like a factory than a proper room for reunions between passengers and luggage. Flight information scrolled monotonously on miniature marquees, aiding little in the search for the proper carousel, forcing people to recognize fellow passengers in the hopes of congregating around the correct machine for the customary vigil.

Honda sighed impatiently, his arms crossed over his chest while he leaned his back against a large, white column that helped to support the ceiling. Yuugi's flight number had been flashing on the nearest terminal for the past twenty minutes, and the machine had not yet begun to hum in preparation for circling luggage nor had he seen anyone that appeared to have been on the flight. Lowering his arms he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked over at his friends who had taken refuge on one of the few metal benches in the area.

"Have you got any of that muffin left?" he asked Anzu, nodding his head in her direction.

Anzu nodded, shifting her purse off her shoulder so she could rummage through it for the baked good. Eventually she found it at the bottom of her bag and tossed it to Honda before settling back on the bench. "I guess we should have called to see if his flight was late before we came."

Jounouchi, who was leaning with his neck bent over the back of the bench with his eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest, shrugged at the practical comment. "Eh, it doesn't really matter. We would've just gotten stuck in traffic if we'd left later. Besides," he stretched his arms above his head and leaned forward, "we're here to surprise Yuugi. Doesn't matter how long that takes."

Honda hummed in agreement, licking the remaining crumbs of the muffin off his fingers and stuffing the plastic bag it had been in into his pocket. Looking around as a group of people walked noisily passed him, he noticed that the carousel had started turning. He alerted his friends to this fact and the three began the careful watch of the escalator from which all passengers descended the main level.

"I wonder if Atemu's going to be able to make it?" Anzu wondered out loud, not really considering that her curiosity might not be readily accepted. She felt Jounouchi stiffen next to her, but was surprised when he relaxed, commenting that he didn't know of the man's plans. Watching him from the corner of her eye Anzu resisted the urge to question Jounouchi about his sudden change in attitude. He wasn't friendly towards Atemu, in thought or in action, but he was no longer actively seeking to make his life miserable and that was a giant leap for the blond. She smiled warmly. There was a heart beneath all that brawn after all.

"Who cares?" Honda kicked himself away from the column and came to stand by the bench. "It's not like he cared enough to see him off." He ignored Anzu rolling her eyes and Jounouchi pointedly not making a comment. "He'll be happy to see _us_. We're his best friends, after all."

Anzu propped her arms on her knees, hiding her face in her hands. Honda was determined not to like Atemu or even give him a chance. Jounouchi had changed his opinion of the man after spending all that time spying on him – which Anzu had not been happy to hear about and had spent the better part of twenty minutes letting Jounouchi know what a jerk he'd been. She would have thought that Honda would have gained at least a little insight during his brief stint at espionage.

"It's too early in the morning for this," she muttered.

Jounouchi made sure to keep out of the conversation, busying himself with examining every person on the escalator in the hope of being the first one to spot Yuugi. He didn't know what to think about Atemu anymore. He simply could not understand why the man hadn't exposed him to Yuugi or, come to think of it, why he had never been rude or gruff when_he'd_ made every effort to be. Jounouchi had spent the past few days replaying all that he knew about the Egyptian, which was admittedly little, focusing specifically on the way the man had _not_ reacted to his taunts.

Before meeting Yuugi he would have considered Atemu's unwillingness to engage in a verbal fight as a sign of arrogance or weakness, though considering Jounouchi saw the two as one in the same both would have been an equal insult. But he couldn't stop the nagging feeling that if Yuugi had seen some good in _him_ all those years ago when he was a depressed college drop-out, then maybe his best friend had seen something in Atemu that he hadn't yet had time to cultivate. It was a possibility, and it would explain why Yuugi was so damn protective over him. Yuugi had proclaimed himself Jounouchi's guardian the first two months of their plutonic relationship. Maybe he simply hadn't given Yuugi and Atemu enough time? Well, even so, and even if Atemu was a great guy that deserved Yuugi's help, the fact that he was here meant that he, Honda and Anzu were going to be put on the backburner for a long while. Yuugi was extremely narrow-minded when he had a 'project.' They all dearly missed their friend and didn't wish to miss him any more than necessary.

Making to stand from the bench Jounouchi hesitated with his hands gripping the metal when he saw the angered disbelief on Honda's face. He followed the gaze, which resulted in his own sense of skepticism, but he found his to be a milder form of seeing someone who was unexpected but not necessarily unwelcome. At that exact moment, Jounouchi and Honda represented two sides of the same coin. It was not a welcoming sight for anyone to be greeted with.

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?" Honda growled from between gritted teeth. He was stiff in posture, his arms flexed at his sides. The glare in his eyes was ugly, and Jounouchi knew from experience that physical action always followed that gaze.

Jumping to his feet as Anzu stood and made her way over to Atemu who was standing near the carousel, having not yet noticed the trio, Jounouchi put his hands on his friend's shoulders and squeezed meaningfully. "Easy now buddy," he warned softly. "He isn't doing anything wrong." He simply matched the irritated look Honda shot over his shoulder. Jounouchi didn't release his grip until he felt Honda's muscles relax after the deep breath the man released, though he remained by his friend's side to ensure he didn't do anything stupid.

Anzu ignored Honda's posturing and approached Atemu cheerfully, giggling when he jumped in surprise and then laughed in recognition. "Morning Atemu," she greeted. "We didn't expect to see you here." She noted that he wasn't dressed in his business attire and that… yes, he was wearing what she thought looked remarkably like the puka shell necklace Yuugi brought back with him the last time he went to Hawaii. Of course, all puka shell necklaces looked the same to her, but her curiosity rose nonetheless and a smile crept onto her face. "Don't you work today?"

Atemu returned the greeting, running a hand through his hair and pulling on the sport jacket he wore. "Mm, Yuugi asked me if I would pick him up today, and seeing as how I couldn't see him off…" His voice trailed off and he shrugged sheepishly. "I deserve a day off anyway."

"Does Kaiba see it that way?" Anzu asked with a sly grin.

Atemu smirked before averting his eyes towards the employee entrance to the baggage area, which was next to the escalator. "His idea, actually. Eventually," he added.

There wasn't much Anzu could say to that, so she shook her head in amusement. It was easy for her to see why Yuugi was so intrigued with Atemu; his intelligence and sense of humor were very similar to her friend's and, as an added bonus, Anzu was certain that his self-confidence matched - if not succeeded - Yuugi's own. Oh sure, Atemu didn't broadcast his self-worth as loudly as Yuugi, but the evening that she and Atemu had spent at the pizza parlor she had seen who she knew him to truly be and what had drawn Yuugi to him in the first place. She was happy to see him at the airport, at ease and playing with her. Yuugi was going to be thrilled to see him.

A large group of people suddenly appeared on the escalator, crowding the narrow space and talking animatedly amongst themselves as they passed by the numerous carousels to gather around the one that displayed Yuugi's flight number. Noticing this, Honda gave Atemu a final glare before marching towards the escalator, making it quite clear that _he_ was going to be the first one to greet Yuugi. Jounouchi trailed after him, and Anzu patted Atemu's arm reassuringly when she saw his confused face in response to Honda's hostility.

"He'll get over it," she said and walked to join her friends. Anzu didn't blame Atemu for the incredulous look he gave her, so she let it pass when she saw his attention diverted by one of the airline employees. "Do you see him yet?" she asked Jounouchi and Honda when she made it to their sides.

"Nope, not ye- there he is!" Jounouchi waved his hand at Yuugi, who was just stepping onto the escalator. Honda and Anzu followed suit.

Yuugi, for his part, was able to manage a returning wave in spite of his shock at seeing his friends and not Atemu welcoming him. As he rode the escalator he took the opportunity to scan the baggage claim area for Atemu, who was not immediately visible in the crowd. He furrowed his brows in puzzlement.

"Welcome back man!" Honda greeted jovially, his bad mood hidden behind his need to show off in front of Atemu. "How was the flight?"

"You're here?" It just jumped out of his mouth, but Yuugi couldn't find it within himself to regret the question. "I mean, yeah, the flight was good but," he looked at each of his friends in turn, "what are _you_ guys doing here?"

"We came to surprise you!" Jounouchi stepped back and struck a pose, arms spread wide and head tilted back, nose in the air. "Seriously, what better surprise could you want?"

Yuugi chose not to answer that question. It wouldn't have been polite in public. "Where's Atemu?" He craned his neck to look behind Honda. He did not miss the sour expression on his friend's face.

"He _just_ got here," Honda sneered, pushing his hands into his pockets casually. "_We've_ been here for over an hour."

Yuugi blinked in surprise. "Why? My flight was delayed due to engine trouble. You didn't know?"

Honda scowled in embarrassment while Jounouchi had the decency to look guilty. "We kinda forgot to check before we left," he said.

"Oh."

The lack of response and attention from Yuugi made Jounouchi uncomfortable and Honda tetchy. Anzu made the wise decision to stay out of the line of fire. She stepped forward and gave Yuugi a gentle hug and took his carry-on bag from his shoulder before standing to the side to see how events would unfold. Honda took the opportunity of not having a lady quite so visibly present to voice some of his thoughts.

"Why the fuck are you asking about the prick anyway?" Honda demanded. "It's not like we invited him to come. We're here to pick you up and take you out to eat."

"Well, that's great and all," Yuugi began, returning his focus onto his tense friend. "But I called Atemu a couple of days ago to ask him to pick me up when my flight got in. I can't just tell him to go away because you decided to come." He let the comment about Atemu not being invited slide, but only in an attempt to save face. His disapproval of the remark was clearly evident in his eyes.

Honda took a heated breath and released it, his eyes steadily challenging Yuugi even though he knew he was incapable of intimidating his shorter friend. "I don't get why you called him instead of us in the first place. He wouldn't even drop you off when you left! Why take the risk of him not showing up to bring you home?"

Jounouchi had been prepared for this outburst and did his best to sidetrack Honda's resentment. "Hey come on, Honda, there's no need for that. We're all here so why don't we all just grab something to eat and leave it at that?"

Honda wasn't listening. "And how could you not tell us that you asked him to pick you up? You owed us that much! We've wasted the whole morning for you!"

"_Excuse me_?!" Yuugi nearly shouted. He was not in the mood for a fight, especially not with Honda, who could be so pig-headed that he would argue the color of the sky for half an hour if it meant proving himself right. He was tired, he was annoyed from the baby that had cried the entire last half of the flight, he hadn't eaten since lunch the previous day, and he was suffering from a massive case of missing the one person who wasn't standing in front of him. There was no patience left in him.

"Who the hell do you think you _are _Honda? Getting off on me like this and demanding - _demanding _explanations? Look, you aren't my mother, I _won't_ run every decision by you for approval or permission." He shook his head and raised his hands in defiance, taking a step back from his friends. "I'm tired and I'm not doing this and I'm going home." He turned, the harshness of his words stunning Honda into silence, and reached out a hand towards Anzu to collect his bag. "Thanks Anzu," he said, checking his tone so he wasn't snapping at her. "I'm just going to get my bags and see you later, okay?"

"Yuugi?" Anzu waited for him to acknowledge her, "He's here. Over by the carousel."

It took Yuugi a full ten seconds to understand who Anzu was talking about and, once his brain caught up, he smiled and nodded his thanks before walking away from his friends and over to Atemu. He didn't bother to say goodbye to Honda and Jounouchi. Honda didn't deserve it, and Jounouchi would understand. He was surprised when he saw Atemu talking to an employee from the airline, who was handing over Yuugi's luggage personally. He gave Atemu a curious look once the employee had left, his friends pushed to the furthest reaches of his mind. Yuugi kept his face as blank as stone when he noticed that Atemu was wearing his necklace. It spoke volumes to Yuugi and made his insides flutter in righteous excitement.

He knew Atemu would finally get it through his head that someone cared about him!

"You're important enough to get the airline to hand deliver _my_ luggage to you?" Yuugi asked, the tease prominent in his voice.

"One of the perks of working for Seto," Atemu said around a smirk.

Yuugi hid his smile behind his hand and a false cough.

"Take what's offered," Atemu chuckled. "Besides, I've always hated fighting the crowd to get my bags off that stupid carousel. This is so much easier." Atemu lowered his eyes, an emotion flitting through them that Yuugi didn't have time to recognize, and bent down to remove the tags from the luggage at his feet. He was so happy to have Yuugi home that he didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of everyone by grinning like an idiot. At least while he was bending over his hair hid his face, allowing him a moment to tone down the smile that refused to leave.

As sentimentally nauseating as it was, Yuugi thought as he watched Atemu fiddle nervously with his bags, it really was amazing how a brief moment of absence could make the heart grow so much fonder. Though he wasn't gone nearly long enough to forget what Atemu looked like, and though the man was no stunning model that would make people swoon as he walked down the catwalk, Yuugi was caught yet again by how neighborly handsome the Egyptian was. Allen had been right: Yuugi could be so incredibly dumb and slow sometimes.

Yuugi lowered the carry-on bag he had swung over his shoulder to the ground, freeing his arms so that when Atemu stood he was able to walk forward and embrace him, solidly and securely. Arms around Atemu's neck and shoulders Yuugi hugged him, content with the resulting tenderness encircling his waist as Atemu placed his arms around him and lowered his head to his neck. He was mildly surprised by Atemu. Yuugi had half expected him to be a little uneasy or reluctant to show affection in public considering his actions in the privacy of their home. As it was, Atemu showed no hesitation; in fact he leaned into Yuugi discreetly, but enough so as to imply the genuine fondness behind the action.

Yuugi let the stress and fatigue fade away with the warmth that was slowly enveloping him from Atemu's embrace. He walked his fingers up the back of Atemu's neck and rubbed them along the fine strands of his hairline, smiling as he both heard and felt the other man sigh in relaxation. He tightened his hold and rocked his weight forward and then back, making both of them sway playfully. He heard Atemu chuckle and absorbed the rich vibrations happily. Such a sweet reunion only strengthened his resolve to act on the revelation that Allen had helped him reach. From here on out, he was going to be in love with Atemu, and he wasn't going to be afraid of being so.

"Hey, Até," Yuugi whispered, drawing back so his lips were pressed against the shell of Atemu's ear. He knew his breath tickled when the man involuntarily shivered away from the sensation before leaning back in to resume the contact. "Wanna grab some breakfast? I'm starving."

"Sounds like a plan," Atemu murmured against his neck, unable to repress his grin.

"And then can we talk tonight?"

Atemu didn't answer immediately, unwilling to pull himself away from Yuugi's affection. What Yuugi wanted to talk about he had no idea, but he knew _he_ certainly had something he needed to say to the man. Eventually looking Yuugi in the eye, feeling his stomach tighten excitedly when the arms did not leave his shoulders, he smiled and shook his head.

"Can't tonight," Atemu said softly. "Your grandfather and that girlfriend of his_insist_ that I go out with them to some poker tournament."

Yuugi raised his eyebrow, his hands trailing down Atemu's biceps until they were resting on his forearms. "Really? How'd you get suckered into that?"

Atemu coughed and looked away, but gave Yuugi a crafty look from the corner of his eye. "Let's just say that Sarah can be quite persuasive."

Yuugi thought for a minute before he broke into a knowing grin. "Blackmail?"

Instead of answering Atemu bent down and gathered Yuugi's luggage, reaching into his pocket when the smaller man leaned forward and tactfully rubbed the tips of their noses together.

"I missed you Atemu," Yuugi said tenderly, reaching up and trailing his fingers along the necklace Atemu wore, his fingertips rubbing gently over the shells and briefly against the skin of his neck. He was intrigued when Atemu returned his gaze confidently, all hints of shyness gone for this brief moment. The beam he was given, in addition to the wearing of the necklace, told him that he had been missed too; that smile was ten times better than if Atemu had repeated the words of endearment. Yuugi felt content in a way that he couldn't describe and he was unable to remember the last time he'd felt this comfortable. It was a refreshing experience.

"Here," Atemu said, tossing the set of keys he'd had in his pocket to Yuugi and walking towards the exit. "I assume you won't be happy unless you're the one driving the Beamer."

Oh yeah, Yuugi thought to himself. I definitely love being in the driver's seat. He looked over his shoulder and watched Atemu for a moment before following him out the door.

And I have the distinct impression that you like to drive, too.

* * *

Atemu found himself in front of the bathroom mirror again, only this time he was looking at a reflection that he didn't quite recognize and didn't instantly hate. 

Yuugi still wasn't speaking to him which provided ample time for quiet inquiry regarding his likeness. It wasn't the exact result he had envisioned when he'd made the apple crisp for Yuugi and presented him with it before going to the poker tournament last night. Yuugi's eyes had gone wide and, with a possessiveness that was borderline sinister, he had grabbed a fork, pushed his family away from the dessert, and began shoveling intensely. When he'd returned home Atemu had been met with a half-hour lecture regarding his insincerity in making such a mediocre dessert, which was gone now by the way, ruining Yuugi's diet, not caring about Yuugi's appearance or vulnerabilities, the audacity to presume his affections could be bought with delicious apples, and why the hell Atemu had made so _little_??

The Egyptian couldn't help but laugh at Yuugi's unique manner of expressing affection - … when he wasn't pressing for sex, of course. Jabs and quips punctuated with sparkling mischievous eyes and grins that belied the enjoyment the man received in pushing the buttons of those that he loved.

Hmm. Interesting how easily Atemu was able to include himself in that statement now, when just a sparse few days ago he would have rather believed that the sky was falling than admit that anyone could love him. He didn't believe that Yuugi was _in_ love with him but, as he fingered the shell necklace that rested coolly against his throat, the idea that the other man genuinely cared for him was no longer such a horrifying concept. The need to bolt was dissipating at a snail's pace, but it _was_ going away, and the relief it left in its wake made Atemu content enough to allow it to leave at its own leisure. There was really only one more hurdle that he needed to jump before he allowed himself to fall completely for Yuugi, and _that_ wasn't going to happen until he finished his critical examination of his features.

It was one of those oddities of human nature; the feelings towards one's self directly affected the opinion of one's outward appearance. The fact that he wasn't Japanese didn't bother him as much as it used to for reasons he couldn't fathom. The darkness of his skin was just different, no longer hideously discolored. The angle of his eyes was, in reality, alluring when he didn't look at them too long. He found himself able to bypass the width of his nose completely, and the view of his high cheekbones may, if he squinted, add to his masculinity in a pleasing fashion rather than detract from it. It was a step in the right direction. Further than he'd been able to get himself after several years of work.

Shaking his head at his thoughts in mild chastisement Atemu pulled his back straight and yanked on his white t-shirt, steeling his nerves for the task ahead. Messing his hair with his fingers in the nervous habit that had followed him since childhood he poked his head around the bathroom door and called for Yuugi. After a little cajoling, which was nothing more than Yuugi pouting over the lack of apple crisp that now inhabited the house, Atemu was able to get the younger man to join him in their shared bedroom. Motioning for Yuugi to sit on the bed he turned his back and closed the door, keeping his hand on the knob as the reality of what he was about to do suddenly enveloped him.

Yuugi folded his legs beneath him on the bed and sat back on his heels, tilting his head to the side as he watched Atemu carefully. His whole silent treatment had only been playful jest and, unfortunately, an unsuccessful attempt to get Atemu to make more of the mouth-watering dessert. He knew Atemu knew this, so why the man appeared to be suddenly trapped when he was the one to call the meeting between them was baffling to Yuugi. He hadn't had the opportunity to really talk to Atemu since the two of them went to breakfast once they'd left the airport yesterday and he was more than ready to catch up on the ten days he'd missed out on getting closer to the older man. He didn't really like the hesitation in the room, but he was reluctant to push Atemu when the man was making such a great effort to break down his walls and let Yuugi in. Growing impatient Yuugi bit his lip and forced himself to sit still until Atemu was ready to talk.

Atemu lightly banged his head against the door a couple of times to motivate himself into action. "I'm going to screw this up," he stated matter-of-factly.

"What?"

Jumping at Yuugi's voice, Atemu scowled at himself and turned to face the man sitting on the bed. "I'll have to ask you to be patient with me. I have no idea how this is going to sound." He looked away, unable to think clearly when those blue eyes watched him with such visible amusement at his plight. Folding his hands in front of his face Atemu lowered his head and let his mouth take over.

"My family doesn't approve of me." Disappointed with this statement Atemu sighed irritably and tried again. "There haven't been many people… I've never been popular. I'm sure there are scores of reasons as to why, but we'll just leave it at that. And when people do pay attention to me it's usually to comment on something they don't like. Hair, dress, attitude, the like."

Yuugi pursed his lips, not liking the sound of this… this almost confession. He wanted to prompt Atemu to get to the point of whatever it was he wanted to stay and not stall by telling his depressing back-story. It wasn't so much that he didn't care to hear it, but simply that reliving the past wasn't going to help anything in the present. He decided against mentioning this when he saw the distant look in those beautiful russet eyes, instead patting the bed beside him to invite Atemu to sit and relax. Somehow Atemu noticed and accepted the invitation, sitting gingerly next to Yuugi, but his attention never truly diverted from his task.

"I haven't had a lot of luck with relationships," Atemu continued, his hands still clasped in front of his face and his back hunched over his knees. "I fall too hard, too fast, and nearly always for the wrong people. I'm a horrible judge of character in these things." He sighed, covering his face with the palms of his hands. "I'm not interesting enough to keep anyone around for long anyway. I know that. _Don't_," he scolded, not needing to look to see that Yuugi had opened his mouth to protest that statement. "I know it's true. And I don't feel bad about it, so don't worry." He shrugged humbly, lowering his arms to rest on his knees and turning his eyes so he could watch Yuugi without facing him.

Yuugi held Atemu's gaze until the man continued to speak. "You're weird," Atemu finally said, ignoring Yuugi's 'duh' expression. "I think I get you pretty well, but you're weird."

"You're such a romantic." Yuugi was unable to hold back the drawled comment.

"Can I ask you something?"

Yuugi was a bit perturbed that Atemu kept ignoring his responses, but he was willing to play along until he knew where this was going. "What do you want to know?"

There was an uncomfortable pause as Atemu simply studied Yuugi for several moments. Yuugi kept himself from squirming in annoyance as the time passed by biting his cheek, his desire to know the question increasing beyond his liking. This was such unusual behavior for Atemu; claiming the power in the moment but not doing anything with it, almost like he was testing the waters to see if Yuugi would let him be in control even when he didn't know what was going to happen. Actually, when he looked at it this way, Yuugi was a little excited. At least, he was, until Atemu nodded and stood from the bed without asking his question and began to pace.

Yuugi snorted lightly. He took it all back. Atemu was just acting bizarre.

The pacing didn't last long and Yuugi fond himself looking down at Atemu, who had come and kneeled before him.

"Heba?"

Yuugi relaxed. God did he love it when Atemu called him that. It was a good thing the Egyptian didn't know that by using that one word he'd be able to win any argument with Yuugi.

"I love you," Atemu said quietly. He smiled softly at the surprised look on Yuugi's face. "Yeah, I know. But I do. Not in that fucked-up way I usually fall either. I just… love you. Ah!" he said, raising a finger and placing it over Yuugi's lips to stop him from speaking. "Just listen to me now, please?" He removed his finger when there was a nodded agreement and placed his hands on Yuugi's knees.

"I know I'm a difficult person to have around, and I'm thankful you've put up with me this long." Atemu had to pause to give Yuugi a warning glance when he felt the younger man tense in preparation to talk. "I'm not asking for anything in return. I just wanted to let you know what was going on in my head. I've been giving you some real shitty signals the past couple of weeks. It's not on purpose."

"Why is it hard?" Yuugi was able to whisper before being reprimanded.

Atemu thought about the question, lowering his eyes to the floor. "Because I'm tired of hurting," he eventually said. "Everything I care about hurts me in the long run. It never changes."

"But that happens to everyone," Yuugi argued, keeping his voice solemn. Atemu not looking at him was unnerving. He could sense the older man pulling away again, despite their close proximity. "Love hurts. It's just how it works. It sucks, but it makes the times in-between fun, doesn't it?"

Atemu didn't answer, and Yuugi was afraid he'd lost him until the man pulled himself straight and stood, reaching for Yuugi's hands and pulling him to a standing position beside him. Only then did he look the younger man in the eye, and the emotion Yuugi saw made him forget to take in his next breath.

Without hesitation Atemu trailed his fingers up along Yuugi's arms, tickling his neck until he was able to cup his palms beneath Yuugi's jaw, his thumbs resting on the younger man's cheekbones. "One night is all I ask Heba," he whispered, leaning forward, pausing just above Yuugi's lips, heated breath caressing both mouths. "May I have one night with you?"

Even if he'd wanted to, Yuugi couldn't have said no. "I'd give you more than that if you'd just accept it," he mumbled. He tried to lean closer and get the kiss Atemu was dangling in front of him but was unsuccessful when that tempting mouth pulled away, adding insult to injury by opening further in anticipation but not letting Yuugi taste it. His body shuddered as he watched Atemu unconsciously lick the inside of his lower lip and he wanted nothing more than to dive in with reckless abandon and take that mouth for his own.

Yuugi had never been aroused like this before; he'd been excited, he'd been teased, but this embrace was nothing like those moments for the simple fact that Atemu was _not_ trying to tease or excite. He wasn't trying to convince Yuugi or gain an objective or prove a point and that wasn't something the young man was used to experiencing. Yuugi's eyes slipped close as Atemu's hands traced themselves down his neck and across his shoulders, and down his arms where he clasped their hands together, fingers intertwined. He wanted to laugh, wanted to smile, wanted to shout and whisper and run and jump. The pure love that was pouring into him with such simple touches was enough for Yuugi to forsake every notion he'd ever had about the futility of loving someone. Atemu put them to shame.

"You give me too much," Atemu whispered, his eyes halfway closed and unfocused. He brought their clasped hands up between them, holding onto Yuugi tightly and causing him to open his eyes with the movement.

Yuugi smiled, barely, the expression able to remain on his face for but a moment. He tilted his head to the side, just enough to get his nose out of the way for the kiss he could hardly wait for to come. A car's engine revved outside somewhere but he barely noticed it, so great was his attention on the other man. He loosened his thumbs and lowered them to rub erotically on the underside of Atemu's wrist, the resulting sigh floating over his parted lips and gliding over his tongue with their close proximity, torturing him with the memory of the Egyptian's flavor.

"You take too little," Yuugi said. He was surprised by the unintentional husky tone in his voice but was pleased with the flash of desire that shot through Atemu's eyes. "Gonna have to work on that…"

"In due time." Atemu released Yuugi's hands and reached for his face again, placing his fingers back on Yuugi's cheeks and pulling his head forward. "In due time."

The resulting kiss was so damnably simple that it instantly became Yuugi's favorite kiss of his life. A sharp intake of breath through their noses was the immediate response from both men when Atemu pushed his parted lips onto Yuugi's, effectively capturing Yuugi's top lip while simultaneously entrapping his bottom lip for Yuugi to hold. They pressed against each other meaningfully, feeling both the smooth skin of the outer lip and the slick, velvety texture of the inner lip. Yuugi's hands pressed into Atemu's chest, moving in random patterns as he sought out the other man's heartbeat. Atemu's long fingers pushed back into Yuugi's hair and pulled on the strands, not painfully, but with enough force to encourage the direction that Yuugi moved his head. No nibbling, no suckling, no excess movement of any kind. Press together and pull back, press together and move over each other as heads were repositioned, pull apart, press together.

The pace was unrushed, the sentiments genuine. Minutes passed and, as the kisses remained open-mouthed and unobtrusive, bodies relaxed into each other and hands rested freely on shoulders, backs and chests and minds melded into the calm state of mutual arousal. Yuugi found his legs to be extremely heavy, weighting him in place, keeping him steady so he could indulge himself in the beautiful kisses that were being placed upon his lips. He loved the feeling of Atemu being completely content against him, tracing the muscles in his limbs and the strands of his hair with calm and confident strokes, seemingly independent of the potent attention he was lavishing on Yuugi's mouth. There was an element of control that he wouldn't say was missing, more that it was floating freely in the air around them, patiently waiting for one of the men to call for its aid when it was time to progress to the next level of intimacy. It was Atemu who eventually reached for it and it willingly came as he took hold of Yuugi's sides and guided him back towards the bed, releasing his hold so he could watch Yuugi sit and scoot back to make room for Atemu to follow. Now both on the bed, Yuugi leaning back on his elbows with one leg bent and one leg stretched out, Atemu on his knees and crawling over Yuugi, pausing when they were again nose to nose with neither of them taking the next step, enjoying these small moments where anticipation could build.

Yuugi's hand started on Atemu's stomach, reaching in a finger to assure the position of the navel before moving upwards until it was able to take hold of the shirt's collar and, with this grip, pull Atemu forward and downward into a kiss that he was not going to be easily released from. As soon as Atemu's tongue found itself tasting the inside of Yuugi's lips, and Yuugi's hands boldly declared war on Atemu's shirt and ripped it off his back, carelessly tossing the pieces to the side, both men laughed into one of the endless kisses to follow.

This particular journey was going to blow away the destination, if they ever decided that the journey should end.

* * *

_to be continued…_


	12. Unresolved Turmoil

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: I think my writing skills took a vacation without me. I simply could not do it. It wasn't a difficulty in getting the ideas onto paper, I couldn't get the _ideas_. I couldn't see the words anymore. It wasn't writer's block, something far more durable and menacing than that. It was very frustrating. So I went on the hunt for really good fanfiction. Discovered my love for Naruto and Death Note slash fiction and, having read some amazing work, am finally able to get myself writing again. All hail fanfiction!

Oh, and apologies of course. I never meant for there to be so much time between updates. I'm sorry!

Enjoy!

Ocean

--------------------------

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Twelve – Unresolved Turmoil_

For a man who should have been deathly tired and happily sleeping, Yuugi was a man who was caffeine-jittery and stubbornly awake. Atemu was asleep, had been for quite some time, and Yuugi decided that if at least one of them was sleeping then all was right with the world.

It always surprised him how dark his room was at night. With the blinds closed the moon's rays couldn't pass through the window, and the lone streetlamp on his block was too far away to be noticed. The blackness wasn't so complete that his eyes couldn't adjust to at least see the faint outlines of the forms in his room, but it was enough to only make silhouettes visible. This allowed his mind to wander without visual distractions which, considering it was Yuugi, weren't deterrents anyway.

The sex had been fan_tast_ic. Not the best he had ever had, mind you, but phenomenal none the less. Atemu had shed all pretenses and bared himself completely to Yuugi, willingly providing all that the younger man had asked for since the moment of their ride in that ridiculous elevator. The Egyptian had been seriously methodical, though that didn't detract in the slightest the pure passion, sincerity, and overall longing that he'd poured into Yuugi, who had proven to be a bottomless pit. The touches, the breaths, the caresses and kisses and movement against each other had been surreal, affecting body and mind, fantasy and reality. Yuugi had been in pure bliss during the entire event.

And when it was all over, when they were facing each other, noses touching sporadically in response to the harsh breaths that shook their bodies and heated the other's face, hair parted in distinct pieces due to the sweat that coated every inch of them Yuugi would have been able to say, had he been asked, that he was happy. Truly, _truly_ happy.

The fact that Atemu fell sound asleep a mere moment afterwards was inconsequential. Let the man sleep, Yuugi thought, for he was terminally happy and didn't need the other's attention at the moment.

Yuugi rolled over on his side to face Atemu who, in his sleep, had drifted to the other side of the bed on his stomach. That handsome face was turned away from him unfortunately, but it did allow Yuugi the opportunity for quiet observation. Pillowing one arm beneath his head Yuugi reached out with his free hand, curling his fingers into the thick strands of hair that reminded him curiously of feathers as he drew his knees to his stomach and sighed in contentment. He was confident his actions wouldn't disturb the heavy sleeper. Experience had taught him as much.

What a surprise the evening had been. Never had he expected such a confession to come from the courteous stranger that lived in his home and shared his bed nightly. When he'd been summoned he hadn't had any more expectation than a continued mending of the rift between them, perhaps Atemu finally relenting to baking him more delicious apple desserts. But to tell him that he loved him…

Yuugi sighed through his nose, letting his fingers slip from Atemu's auburn tresses and rest on the bed between them. Not in friendship, not in companionship or gratitude, but loved him in that special way that Yuugi had convinced himself he only believed to be true in movies and romance novels. The admission had been so abhorrently rough and unstructured that Yuugi didn't doubt for a moment it was true.

Someone else had fallen in love with him. Part of him was sobered by this. But part of him fought to remain indifferent and he couldn't fathom why.

Yuugi's exploration of this notion was interrupted when he felt the sheets pull against him as Atemu stirred. His eyes watched the man lift his head from his pillow, hesitate a moment, and then push the sheets from himself and half-walk, half-stumble out of the bedroom and towards the bathroom. Yuugi smirked into his arm, eyes glinting in mischief as he weighed the pros and cons of waking Atemu long enough to inform him of his nakedness. He decided against it in the end. No one in his house would be up at this time of night anyway and, by the time he was actually willing to move from his comfortable bed, Atemu had returned and was resettling himself. The man was no more awake than he had been before nature called him, and Yuugi found great humor watching how clumsily he fell back onto the mattress and instantly resumed sleeping.

At least now Atemu was facing him, with one arm stretched unknowingly in his direction. Yuugi took the opportunity to scoot a little closer, enough so that his chest barely brushed against Atemu's arm, and that with little effort his fingers could trace the underside of his partner's chin. Not that he allowed himself this last touch, but it was there if he wanted to indulge in it. Once Atemu was settled again Yuugi's thoughts returned to their previous path.

He'd loved before. Loved too often, probably, if one were to listen to the poets and writers and musicians. The problem was, Yuugi didn't believe that he had ever loved in the way that Atemu had professed to love him. He didn't understand it. He didn't believe in it. He didn't believe anyone would _want_ to love in such a consuming manner. The commitment such an attachment would create was something he couldn't fathom being comfortable with enduring.

When Allen had told him it was alright to be in love with Atemu and Yuugi had agreed, _this_ wasn't the kind of love he thought they'd been talking about.

At this moment, Yuugi was happy. But this happiness always followed sex, always lingered around the bed that held the warmth and scent of the strenuous activity. Maybe, once in a while, that joy would follow him into the next day, or week, but that was stretching the moment to the point of being ludicrous. The intensity, the passion, the raw emotion present during intercourse simply could not survive outside the event. One thing Yuugi had never learned despite his efforts was how to keep the interest outside the bedroom.

Hmm. That was an interesting thought. Was he really so focused on the sex? Because it was easier, and understandable, and predictable? The notion didn't sit well with him and he squirmed into the mattress, unwittingly bumping into Atemu who frowned in his sleep. Honestly, to even allow his thoughts to travel along _that_ road. He must be delusional from his orgasm if Honda's and Jounochi's words from a week ago were coming back to haunt him tonight.

He did _not_ exist and interact with others simply for _sex_. He wasn't that damn shallow.

He wasn't-

Yuugi's opened eyes widened further and he pushed up onto the arm he had been resting on, gaze unseeing as his mouth hung open in shock. Hadn't Atemu hinted at the same thing before he'd left for Hawaii? How had he put it…?

'_Do you value yourself so little?'_

He turned his stare to Atemu, the words ringing in his head like an obnoxious smoke alarm. This was not an issue of self-value! People didn't just go around having sex to prove themselves worthy of – of _any_thing!

The thought repulsed him, made him sick to his stomach and his teeth grind against each other in defiance. He felt the urge to punch Atemu in the shoulder for even suggesting such a concept, only managing to restrain himself when the target of his anger spoke.

"Whatever's bothering you let it go," Atemu grumbled none-to-politely as he brought his arm up to hug his pillow and tried to hide his face in its comfort. "It's too damn late to be introspective." A deep sigh, a moment of silence, and a gripping of his pillow later and you never would have known Atemu had been awake enough to manage a coherent sentence.

A coherent, _perceptive_ sentence. Damn him. The urge to punch the man doubled. Yuugi satisfied himself with a poignant scowl before resting his head back on his own pillow.

Now he had a headache, and it was all _his_ fault.

Taking a deep breath and holding it, Yuugi made sure he bounced the mattress as he flopped onto his side facing away from Atemu, satisfied when he heard the other man grunt in frustration. As he released his breath, however, some of the – well, he could only call it hysterical – tension released its hold on him and he found himself calming. Yuugi had thought himself past these panic attacks long ago, especially after his first visit to the Hawaiian Islands. Allen had been a good influence on him even back then. Quick to react and slow to think Yuugi had been accustomed to sticking his foot in his mouth and chewing thoroughly on a regular basis until the older mathematician had shown him the benefits of restraint and consideration. Though there were moments that he reverted to his short-tempered ways, Yuugi wasn't even close to being the hothead he'd been before completing college.

He brought a thumb to his mouth and held the nail between his teeth, brows furrowed in thought. Why had he allowed himself to go off like that? It was such a strange thing to do, and the timing was just so fucking ironic that he couldn't bring himself to even twitch his lips in the semblance of a smile at it. To be laying in bed after sex with a ridiculously handsome man, a man who resembled kindness personified, a man he'd been trying to lay since the day after he met him, to have _enjoyed_ it to the extent he had, only to rile himself up into conjuring insults that had never been spoken or intended and reacting to them was just stupid. It was sabotage.

Hn.

Sabotage, huh? Yuugi huffed and turned onto his back, both arms raised above his head and eyes looking somewhere towards the ceiling. It was another absorbing thought. He currently appeared to be plagued by them. He didn't believe in love, but had experienced it tonight. Didn't believe it could last outside the bedroom, yet had felt protective of it even when on another island, in another _country_. He'd agreed with Allen that it was okay to love Atemu, but he hadn't meant that it was okay to _love_ him because that type of love was false and delusional. He'd told Atemu that he'd give him more than sex if he'd just accept it, and to hell with it all if he hadn't meant it at the time, but his offer had been left to wither and die in the air without pretense.

Atemu clearly loved him beyond all logical reason.

It wouldn't surprise Yuugi if his little tantrum was his mind's way of trying to deal with all the contradictions in his head.

Or maybe it was preparation? Maybe it was the start of him getting ready to push Atemu away and move on to the next person? The process was a slow one, as far as he was concerned, but it was possible that that was what he was doing. He'd done it before, many times.

Yuugi frowned. Not only did that notion not sound right, it made him angry to think of it. That was a surprise in itself. Thinking back on all the other affairs he'd had, Yuugi couldn't think of one where he'd lain awake after sex questioning his values and beliefs. This just wasn't something a sane person did after making love. You either giggled, had sex again, or went to sleep. You didn't start psychoanalyzing yourself.

Impatient of the crazy thoughts in his head Yuugi pushed himself off the bed and walked around the end of the mattress to the bedside table. Shivering at the sudden chill the air in the room possessed he pulled out the drawer and rummaged inside, waiting to feel the soft material of Atemu's fingerless gloves brush over his hand. He didn't bother to be quiet about his search, ignoring the defeated sigh from the Egyptian who no longer believed he was going to get any sleep so long as Yuugi was Thinking. Eventually finding the gloves after a few false claims Yuugi pulled them onto his hands, lacing his fingers together to push the material down as far as it would go between his knuckles.

Once satisfied he closed the drawer out of habit and returned to bed by crawling over Atemu and pulling on his shoulder to force the other man onto his back. He was met with little resistance, though Atemu did keep his head beneath the pillow he'd buried it under when Yuugi had gotten out of bed. Yuugi pushed Atemu's arms out of the way so he could yank the sheet out from between the two of them and wrap it around his own back. Situating himself on Atemu's stomach with the sheet draped over him like a cape Yuugi plucked the pillow from the other man's face and tossed it aside. Ignoring the closed-eye scowl he leaned forward and pressed his cheek against the side of his partner's neck, providing a rough and quick nuzzle before burying his head beneath Atemu's chin. When no move was made to embrace him Yuugi snorted and forced the man's arms around his back, only then snuggling into the body he was using as a mattress and moving his hands purposefully up and down Atemu's sides in apology.

"Sorry," Yuugi mumbled into Atemu's neck, placing a chaste kiss to the skin.

There was a sigh, and a barely audible "'Sa'right" before Atemu pounced on the opportunity to go back to sleep. Yuugi closed his eyes and brought his hands up beneath Atemu's arms, holding onto his chest. Even if sleep wasn't going to come to him, he was determined to remain still right where he was and let the other man rest. It was too late for him to continue being an ass.

--------------------------

The following morning did not bring clarity.

Nor did the morning after that.

Nor the morning after _that_.

It was becoming a bothersome routine that Yuugi had the distinct impression was going to be with him for the rest of his life if he didn't get off his lazy butt and do something about it. That was the trouble though, of course. What could he do about a situation he didn't understand?

They had sex one other time, with Yuugi playing the part of instigator to a quite surprised Atemu after a long day at the office. Yuugi had literally paid his family to be out of the house for at least three hours, politely demanding that they go to dinner and a movie and give him so much needed peace to figure out his life. He didn't mention Atemu and he didn't need to. Gina and Sugoroku and, indeed, even Sarah knew that something had happened between the two young men, an event drastic enough to send the otherwise happy Yuugi into a spiral of short fuses interspersed with moments of euphoria and impressive bouts of pouting. Atemu, though not withdrawn, had settled into a quiet, content, and unbelievingly placid man that far exceeded what the elder members of the Motou family had decided laid beneath his injured surface.

Atemu's simple acceptance of the events that had transpired irritated Yuugi to no end. The man never asked for anything; not kisses, not touches, no 'special' time… hell, he wouldn't even ask Yuugi for a cup of tea when he was bogged down in paperwork from the office. If only he had a dime for every time he'd had the real desire to slap Atemu for being so damn self-fulfilled, well, Yuugi would be a very rich man. He'd even gone so far as to try and pick a fight with the Egyptian if for no other reason than to get him to _react_ in some way other than that frustratingly soft and sensual smile of his that made Yuugi's heart skip and make him nearly forget why he was trying to pick a fight.

Gina had asked Yuugi what was bothering him so much one morning after he'd stomped into the kitchen and grunted what may have been a rude greeting. He seemed happy, Atemu seemed happy, and she and Sugoroku were happy for him, so why was he insisting on ruining it for everybody?

Sugoroku's screen door once again became a victim and Yuugi had spent another morning fixing it. It was this that brought to his attention just how deplorable his temper had become if he was breaking things because his mother was accusing him of being _happy_. This was just getting foolish.

So here he sat, yet again with his trusted trio of friends, only this time they were all outside in the backyard soaking up the glazing afternoon sun. Jounochi was sprawled in a beach chair a few feet away from the patio table, sunglasses on and earphones in his ears as he listened to music he would never openly admit to liking. Anzu was sitting at the table working on her latest Sudoku book, Honda was trying to appear aloof next to her, and Yuugi was sitting on his butt towards the end of the yard, back to his friends, watering the few struggling plants his mother insisted on subjecting to her gardening skills. Every now and then he would pull on his gloves out of boredom.

"Did anyone bring snacks?" Jounochi asked. When his question was met with silence he pushed his sunglasses up into his hair and eyed his friends. Anzu felt his gaze and looked up long enough to shrug, going immediately back to her puzzle, though she did spare a moment to kick Honda's leg for a response.

"Didn't think of it," the brunette said. Honda turned his head towards Yuugi's silent figure, brow wrinkling with his growing annoyance. "Don't you have _any_thing?"

Yuugi shrugged, twirling the hose in his hands and watching the flowing stream drench the dirt. "Haven't been to the store."

"So… okay, I guess," Jounochi said, trying to bring some peace into the growing tension he could literally see forming between Honda and Yuugi's back. "No biggie. I was just curious. Can feel the old stomach grumbling is all-"

"Why are we here Yuugi?" Honda demanded, words terse and readily belying his anger.

Yuugi's back straightened but he didn't turn around. "I just felt like having my friends around," he said slowly. "You make it sound like there's more to it than that."

"Of course there is." Honda turned in his seat, now facing Yuugi completely. "You haven't wanted anything to do with us since you got back from Hawaii. You made that much clear at the airport."

"Cool off," Anzu said, her pencil halting its scratching in her Sudoku book as she peered at Honda from beneath her bangs. "We're not here to fight. We're _not_," she emphasized when Honda glared at her. "Yuugi's decisions are his own. This doesn't affect us nearly as much as you've convinced yourself it does."

Jounochi immediately stood from his beach chair in alarm. Whether or not they had come to Yuugi's to fight, the expressions and body language of his friends was enough to alert him to the fact that a fight was going to be had nonetheless.

"Like hell it doesn't affect us," Honda said through gritted teeth, his hand gripping the table roughly and nearly pulling it off its legs. He looked at both Anzu and Jounochi in turn. "We're loosing him to someone _he_ doesn't even know anything about! Doesn't that bother you?!"

Anzu's face flared in indignation, but before she was able to retaliate against Honda's brash accusation she heard Yuugi laugh. The sound – almost inappropriate in its ability to sound both bitter and amused and altogether _distraught_ – sliced through her and made her forget all words. Honda and Jounochi also found themselves stunned by their friend's sudden shift in attitude.

Laughing until tears were coming out of his eyes Yuugi finally stood and faced his friends, paying no attention to where the hose was pointing and effectively wetting his own feet. "You're such an ass, Honda," he said while wiping his eyes, his laughter finally coming under control. "You're right, but you're an ass." He took a deep breath and let his gaze drift over towards the alley. "I've let myself get all wrapped up in a man whose entire known history is that he's from Egypt. _Egypt_, of all god-forsaken places. What the hell am I doing?"

Again, Yuugi stunned his friends. He wanted to keep laughing, madly and fully with all the rampaging emotion clawing at his chest and eyes and skin. Instead he reached down into his pocket and procured his beloved harmonica, tossing it carelessly into the air.

That insanely painful grin on his friend's face was too much for Jounochi. Rolling up nonexistent sleeves he fisted his hands, marched over to Yuugi, looked him in the eye, and fully, unabashedly, punched him square across the jaw.

The harmonica flashed as it fell uncaught, accompanied by Anzu's scream of horror and the thud of Yuugi's body banging into the ground.

The water hose flew from Yuugi's hand, spraying Jounochi before coming to a rest near the fence, well out of reach.

"Fuck Jounochi!" Honda shouted, rushing over to the blonde and forcefully shoving his shoulder to push him away from the man now lying prostrate in the dirt. "What the hell was that?!"

Jounochi ignored him, his glare never leaving Yuugi's face, even as he struggled against Honda's dynamic efforts to separate him from the man on the ground. He was sick of listening to this shit his friends were spouting. Sick of Honda's unyielding stupidity about Atemu, his die-hard determination to make Yuugi see the man the way he did – as an enemy, a threat, someone to be feared, reviled, isolated and banished. Sick of Yuugi's inconsistent mood swings, his wishy-washy acceptance of Honda's words when for two and a half weeks he'd been Atemu's most ardent protector. Jounochi was even sick of Anzu's involvement, of her complacency concerning Atemu, her inaction against Honda's anger, the secrets he was certain she was keeping about Atemu _and_ Yuugi.

He was sick of it all.

Something had to be done to change things.

The only one who _could_ change the crap that currently enveloped the group of friends was Yuugi.

And Yuugi, apparently, required some much needed sense beat into that damn thick head of his.

"What are you talking about?" Jounochi seethed through his clenched jaw. He was uninterested in Honda's blathering in his ear about being out of control and Anzu's beseeching eyes as she knelt next to Yuugi. All he knew was that Yuugi wasn't looking at him. That was a good thing, for two reasons.

One, it meant Yuugi was listening to both his words and the punch he'd received.

Two, Jounochi would have punched him again if he had looked at him, pleadings from his friends be damned.

Yuugi, for his part, was able to recognize that any movement was going to further invoke Jounochi's wrath and so was more than willing to remain on the ground until the violent vibrations emitting from the blond settled to a less threatening tone. He raised the back of his hand and pressed it against the corner of his mouth, suppressing a wince at the pressure applied to his swelling lips and jaw. His eyes narrowed at the corners with the taste of metal invading his mouth. He'd bitten his tongue pretty hard as a result of the punch, though the pain wasn't nearly as vexing as the blood welling around his teeth. Swiping his tongue around his mouth to gather the liquid he swallowed, making a face at the flavor.

"That's disgusting," Yuugi muttered to himself.

"Are you alright Yuugi?" Anzu asked, startled when Yuugi brushed off her attempts to soothe him in favor of sitting with his knees bent and arms wrapped around them, head lowered. She turned her attention to the men standing above her, disapproval as well as disappointment lacing together in her voice. "What the hell is wrong with you two? Why are we still fighting like this?! This has nothing to do with us!"

"It doe-!"

"It _doesn't_!" she interrupted Honda. Exasperation rolled off her like molasses, thick and heavy and reaching for any surface it could cling to. "This is between Yuugi and Atemu. Stop butting in! What do you have against him anyway?" She stood while she was talking, placing her hands on her hips in an effort not to reach for Honda and exact some violence of her own.

"Why are you defending him?!" Honda countered, having forgotten his efforts to restrain Jounochi in favor of continuing an argument he couldn't – _wouldn't_ – let go of. "Have you even _looked_ at him? He's a foreigner! He won't tell us _any_thing about himself, he won't stand up to us, he won't deny that he's simply using Yuugi until he gets bored and moves on, he –"

Yuugi chuckled under his breath at that one. Honda and Anzu didn't hear him and continued their dance of accusing and defending Atemu, unaware that they were the only ones interested in their argument.

Atemu getting bored with him. This time Yuugi did laugh, a cheeky grin pulling at his lips. It was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, and he'd heard some pretty weird shit.

Yuugi tilted his head when he felt, rather than saw, Jounochi kneel in front of him, his hair falling over his face and hiding the bruise that was rallying troops on his jaw.

"That hurt, you know," he said quietly and without anger.

"Good," Jounochi said. "Did it get through to ya?"

Yuugi shrugged. "Depends on the message you're trying to send."

Jounochi sighed harshly, pushing his hand into his hair and gripping the strands. "You can't just give in to Honda like that. You know he's stupid when he's being paranoid."

Yuugi was quiet for several moments. "It wasn't him," he said finally.

Jounochi eyed Yuugi carefully, watching for any clues that might alert him as to why Yuugi was suddenly pretending to be distant and disinterested in Atemu. He knew Yuugi's penchant for changing his mind, but this wasn't one of those times. Jounochi had watched them in the airport when Yuugi had come home from Hawaii. He'd seen the contentment of his best friend when he'd reached out and held Atemu, held him for several long moments before pulling back with a smile on his face.

He'd never seen Yuugi that happy before. Not when he wasn't faking it for his friends.

"What happened?" Jounochi asked quietly. "Why are you running?"

Yuugi tensed, then relaxed, throwing his hand in front of him in defeat. "I have no fucking idea."

"Want some friendly advice?"

"No."

"Too bad." Jounochi took hold of Yuugi's wrist and forced the smaller man to his feet, unwilling to let him sit and sulk any longer. Anzu and Honda stopped their argument when they noticed, and the silence rained down on the group as they stared at Yuugi and Yuugi glared at Jounochi.

"_Well_?" Yuugi said.

Jounochi placed his hand on Yuugi's shoulder and squeezed it. "Don't." He turned and walked back over to his beach chair, settling down and replacing his earphones.

"So what do you guys want on your pizza? I'm buying." And with that Jounochi retreated into his music, satisfied with events.

"Don't what?" Honda asked, turning on Yuugi. "What shouldn't you do?"

Yuugi only distantly heard the question, resulting in his answer being curt and flat. "Run away from Atemu." He paused, chewing on his lower lip thoughtfully. "And a lot of other things," he added. "I've got some errands to run," and thinking to do, he thought. "I'll catch you guys later."

"Wait Yuugi!" Anzu called out to his retreating back.

"Care to explain yourself?!" Honda shouted.

Yuugi shook his head. "Not to you, Honda." He turned and glared over his shoulder, his old, confident self shinning through the haze of fear he'd allowed himself to get trapped in because of dense insecurities. "You don't deserve one."

"What about Anzu, huh? And Jounochi? They've been supporting you!"

"They don't need one."

"And _him_?" Honda tried in a last ditch effort to get Yuugi to stay and settle the argument. He failed.

Yuugi made certain to slam the screen door hard enough to break it as he entered the house.

--------------------------

Atemu grimaced from his position at the kitchen table. That poor screen door really didn't deserve to be his and Yuugi's outlet.

--------------------------

_to be continued…_


	13. Lateral Movement

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: Hey, at least it took less time than the last update! The writer's block finally broke down and the story is flowing again. It's not going to be too much longer, there's really only one more major scene that needs to take place and then I need to come up with a satisfactory ending… I thank you all for your continued patience and support with this story. I hope I do not disappoint you!

Enjoy!

Ocean

--------------------------

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Thirteen – Lateral Movement_

Looking at the angle which the screen door hung, the dinged rim that didn't quite fit into the frame anymore and, taking into account the squeal of protest it now emitted every time it was used, Atemu wasn't certain that the old thing _should_ be saved. Perhaps it was time to retire the door and bring in a stronger, younger replacement, one that would be better able to withstand his and Yuugi's tantrums.

He knew this wasn't going to happen, especially with the murderous look Sugoroku had on his face as he examined his beloved door, but it still sounded like a good idea to him.

"What's wrong with you two?" Sugoroku grumbled. He stood inside the landing, hands on his hips, a black work bandana tied over his hair to keep it out of his way while he scrutinized the door. His eyes lowered from the hinge he'd been inspecting to give a meaningful stare to the man standing on the other side of the screen, out in the yard. "Can't you throw punches at each other like normal men?"

Atemu smiled in apology.

Sugoroku huffed, kneeling down so he could reach his toolbox. "Can't be helped, I suppose." Finding the tool he was after he began the delicate operation of salvaging his door.

Atemu watched quietly, his hand clutching his elbow as it hung limply at his side, offering support and company while the elder man worked. There wasn't much else for him to do on this rare full day off for him. He had planned on running some errands, but Yuugi had – ahem, taken that task upon himself the previous day. In fact, Yuugi had down right growled at Atemu for having the audacity to offer assistance in the running of those errands. At another time he may have found the younger man's defiance amusing, however considering Yuugi was just coming off an ugly face-off with his friends, Atemu had known better than to tread on already broken ground.

He sighed through his nose, thoughts trailing to the argument he'd unwittingly overheard. He hadn't heard the whole thing, of course. He'd been in the kitchen throughout most of its duration. But he had heard some of the louder, angrier pieces, and had seen the foul mood Yuugi'd been in when he'd stomped up the stairs to grab his keys before marching out of the house, pausing only long enough to give him an odd glance that was equal parts annoyance, surprise, guilt, and, strangest of all, reproachful.

He twisted his mouth to the side. Atemu was no fool. He knew perfectly well that Yuugi and his friends had fought about him _again_. It was rather old and he was losing his patience with them. Though he could understand why Anzu, Jounochi, and Honda would be wary of him in the beginning, he couldn't fathom why he was still such an instigator of conflict by merely _existing_. Frankly it wasn't even worth his time to figure it out. Whatever was going on was their problem and he wanted no part of the deliberations.

What he did want to figure out was why Yuugi was having such a difficult time. The young man vehemently denied it, of course, which only made Atemu more riled. The obviousness of Yuugi's inner turmoil was laughable and altogether perturbing. And it had all started mere hours after they'd slept together.

If Atemu had known this would be the result of sex between them he never would have asked Yuugi to spend the night with him. Let alone spend _two_.

Atemu stepped forward and took hold of the screen door at Sugoroku's prompting, balancing it as the other man worked.

He missed his friend. He missed the man who appeared to enjoy spending time with him, coaxing him into smiles and laughter and a confidence in himself he didn't think he would be able to possess again. He didn't like how Yuugi seemed to want nothing more from him than a fight, or an admission, or whatever the hell it was the short and intense encounters between them were to be called. He didn't like the fake smiles, the forced good-humor, and he _certainly_ didn't like how, after spending a day yelling at and ignoring him, Yuugi would appear out of nowhere and pin him into a kiss that was raw and passionate and _genuine_.

During those few blissful seconds when Yuugi's mouth was on his, Atemu truly felt at peace.

But as soon as he'd pull away Yuugi would go back to glaring at and antagonizing him. He'd even been punched in the shoulder once after a kiss for, apparently, not showing enough emotion during it.

How the hell was he supposed to show anything other than surprise when he would innocently be reading a book before being tackled, attacked, kissed, groped, released, and reprimanded, all in the matter of one minute?

… he wasn't aware he was smiling until Sugoroku cleared his throat at him for drifting off and letting the door bump the elder in the backside. His eyes widened in embarrassment and he secured his grip on the door, stumbling over his apology.

Well, he supposed, there really was no reason to worry himself with introspection that wouldn't provide answers. Whatever was going on was happening in Yuugi's head and trying to guess at what he was going through was a futile endeavor. He'd be told sooner or later. One of the many things Atemu had learned about Yuugi was that, as much as he liked keeping his secrets, he liked just as much to share them. Though if that was just with him, which sounded egotistical and made Atemu uncomfortable, or if Yuugi always relented confessed to everyone he didn't know. It didn't matter.

The mood swings. The secrets. The random attacks. The hyper-ness, the confrontations, the pouting and self-righteous pity. The genuine caring for others he tried to hide behind a mask of indifference spliced with momentary sparks of interest. It was all Yuugi. And though there were some aspects of his character that Atemu wished the younger man would curtail, if only slightly, he wouldn't change him for the world. He was Yuugi.

_That_ was all that really mattered.

Of course, on the other hand, _he_ was Atemu. That was the real thorn in this tale, now, wasn't it? Sure it was. Yuugi wasn't the one doing anything wrong.

"There now, I think that'll hold until the next time you two have a roe," Sugoroku said, humor underlying his tone as he gathered his tools. He turned laughing eyes towards the younger man he had grown quite fond of over the weeks, concern floating over him when he saw the distant, clouded look on the other's features.

"Atemu?" he asked gently.

Atemu started out of his thoughts. "What? Oh," he said, noticing that Sugoroku was through with the door. He pulled on it, testing its strength. "Feels good." He forced a smile that didn't reach his voice. "Think it would be a good idea to add more to it, though, like maybe an electric current? Might keep me and Yuugi away from it for awhile, even if I am a slow learner."

Sugoroku frowned at the comment he was certain was another dig Atemu was taking at himself. Anger pooled in his stomach at his grandson. How could Yuugi be so self-centered as to not see what this damn phase he was going through was doing to Atemu? That after all the work all of them had put into convincing the Egyptian that he was valuable, important, decent, and wanted, that he was slowly, internally reverting back into the defeated boy he'd been when they'd first met him?

Controlling himself enough not to allow a seething breath to escape between his teeth, Sugoroku disregarded his tools and caught Atemu's attention by taking the door out of his hands and holding it open for him.

"I was going to stop by Gina's bakery and kidnap her for lunch. You coming with me? I hear they have a new apple pastry that Yuugi's just been dying to try."

Atemu blinked, and then shook his head in amusement. No wonder Yuugi wore a mask all the time. His grandfather was one perceptive bastard.

"Sure, why not?" he said, shrugging. He smirked. "If Yuugi's been _dying_ to try a new pastry, well, who am I to deny him?"

Sugoroku laughed as he stepped aside so Atemu could enter the dwelling. "You're probably the only one who can." He thought about this for a moment. "And survive unscathed," he added. He grinned at Atemu's answering snort.

"I don't hold near the sway over him you guys seem to think I do."

Sugoroku nodded knowingly, grinning in triumph.

"Of course you don't Atemu. Of course."

--------------------------

Yuugi was losing a battle against a very well prepared jar of pears and he was in no good mood because of it.

"Yuugi? I was wondering what you thought about ah -- right, never mind I'll ask you later."

Yuugi hadn't been in a good mood to begin with, but now he was even more pissed off that Atemu would be so easily dissuaded from a conversation because of a simple, bitter glare over the shoulder.

"Get your ass back here," Yuugi grumbled, postponing his battle by slamming the jar on the counter and turning around to face the doorway.

"No thanks!" Atemu called from the other room, making his way towards the hallway. "I rather feel like _not_ having my head bit off today, if it's all the same to you."

Yuugi grit his teeth and marched stoically out of the kitchen. "What the hell?" he demanded. "Just say what you were going to say!"

Atemu paused outside their shared bedroom, raising his head from the newspaper in his hand and turning his body so he could look the younger man in the eye. He observed Yuugi's fuming stance for several moments before reaching a decision.

"If you're so eager to fight find someone else," he said, his voice monotonous. Before Yuugi had a chance to respond he walked into the bedroom and closed the door decisively behind him.

Yuugi's mouth snarled against the insane desire he had to break down his on door, but he bit his tongue with restraint he didn't know he had and returned to the battle in the kitchen, smacking an innocent soda can along the way.

The pear jar never knew what hit it.

--------------------------

Atemu sighed, his back pressed against the bedroom's door and his arms loose at his sides, his fingers nearly losing their grip on the newspaper.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to interact with Yuugi on any level other than resentment. The man appeared set on arguing with him at every given opportunity, and damn it all if Atemu didn't feel himself itching for a fight because of it. But he wasn't going to indulge in the obvious fit. He absolutely reused. Because he knew, in his heart, that whatever they fought about would _not_ be what they possibly _needed_ to fight about, and that the clash would do nothing more than affirm whatever suspicion or insecurity Yuugi was keeping undisclosed.

It's not fair, Atemu thought as his knees bent and he allowed himself to slide down to the floor, propped against the door with his head tilted back as far as it could go. Couldn't they have enjoyed each other's company a little longer? He'd always known that Yuugi would one day pull away from him, that it was inevitable because the young man was a free spirit with a heart and attention span to match. But he knew Yuugi cared about him, and he'd hoped…

He lowered his eyes from the ceiling to stare listlessly at the carpet. He'd played himself the fool, and he'd done it well.

Anyway, if Yuugi thought that a fight would hasten Atemu's departure or, perhaps, free himself to start looking elsewhere, he couldn't have been more wrong. Atemu had never run because of a fight. He was too intelligent for that. And Yuugi had always been free to leave him behind.

Chuckling mirthlessly Atemu collected himself and went to the bed, sitting on its edge and opening the paper in his hands. If he kept tripping himself up like this with silly ambitions he was never going to survive it when Yuugi moved on to someone new.

--------------------------

"Yuugi? What a surprise!"

The last thing Gina has expected after closing down the bakery, standing in the chill night air and locking the door behind her, was to see her son leaning comfortably against the side of a beautiful BMW that glimmered like a firework in the light from the streetlamps. Not only did it mean that she wouldn't have to walk home tonight, seeing as how her car had revealed a dead battery that morning, but that she'd finally be able to spend some quality time with her son.

Gina was also quite pleased with the fact that Yuugi had even considered picking her up in the first place without her having to ask him. Though it was plausible that her father had made the suggestion to Yuugi, evidence against that argument was the blue machine her son stood so proudly in front of.

Yuugi greeted his mother with a cheeky and triumphant grin, holding the passenger door open for her before walking around the car and entering himself.

Having never ridden in the Beamer Gina took a moment to admire dark wood accents and the leather upholstery, running her hands lightly against the foreign, yet smooth and inviting surfaces. She couldn't keep from smiling at how nice it was to be in such an opulent automobile with her precious son who, despite his gruff treatment towards everyone else, had approached something more than cordiality with his mother. The effort was all Gina had ever asked for, and she relished in the possibility that she and her son could have a healthy, loving relationship one day.

"You like?" Yuugi asked, winking at his mother when he noticed her admiration of the car from the corner of his eyes. "It's a sweet ride." He gunned the engine, which purred happily in response, to prove his point before pulling away from the curb.

"It's lovely," Gina agreed. She watched the way her son handled the machine; one hand caressing the steering wheel while the accompanying elbow rested against the doorframe, his other hand massaging the gearshift located between the two front seats and covered in the same expensive wood that trimmed the doors and dashboard. He appeared to be so comfortable in a car that Gina would be afraid to drive for fear of damaging it somehow.

"Atemu let's you drive it often?" she asked, real affection coloring her words for the Egyptian for allowing her son to have this moment of happiness.

The grin on Yuugi's face lessened, but did not fade completely. "Pretty much whenever I want, so long as he doesn't need it." He huffed lightly, amusement temporarily present on his face. "Heaven forbid someone working for Kaiba Corporations take the bus."

"Now don't be ungrateful Yuugi," Gina scolded, though the reprimand was minimized by her laughter at the truth of the statement. "He doesn't need to let you drive it at all." 

"I know." Yuugi shifted in his seat, and Gina caught the movement for what it was.

"What's wrong dear?" she asked softly, noticing the pull of Yuugi's features into a attentive and confused frown.

"Hmm? Oh." Yuugi shook his head lightly, stepping off whatever path he'd been traveling to return to the here and now. "It's nothing, mom. Guy stuff," he added in an attempt to discourage his mother from inquiring further.

Being a mother, however, allotted Gina certain immunity to such tactics. She hesitated before voicing her concern, betting on her and Yuugi's growing relationship that she could probe further without causing damage. "A certain guy, Yuugi?"

Yuugi scowled unknowingly.

Bingo.

Gina rolled her lips upon themselves in thought, trying to determine the softest and easiest way to discover what was happening between her two favorite – her favorites? indeed they were – her two boys and how she could best offer advice that Yuugi would welcome. She fiddled idly with the clasp of her purse that she'd set in her lap, clicking her nails against the metal softly.

"Yuugi?" she ventured. She wasn't happy to see the grip on the steering wheel tighten. "Has he…?"

"He doesn't do _any_thing," Yuugi growled. He sighed harshly in an effort to restrain his temper, rolling his head along his shoulders. "No mom," he said, answering the question Gina proposed, "he hasn't hurt me."

Though she hadn't thought Atemu would, it was with a mother's relief she heard her son proclaim the other man's innocence.

"Earlier today," Gina began after a long moment of silence during which Yuugi took out his frustrations verbally on an unfortunate pedestrian, "your grandfather and Atemu came by and took me out to lunch." She paused here to smile at the memory, missing the surprised and curious look her son gave her. "It was really nice of them. It made a hard day a little easier."

"Why was it a hard day?" Yuugi asked, his tone muted in an effort to hide his genuine concern.

"Oh, this and that," Gina waved off easily. "One of those days where customers are in a bad mood before they even come to the bakery. I'm just an easy target behind the counter."

She was both stunned and touched when the car's engine roared at the stoplight. Was Yuugi protective on her behalf?

"Well," Yuugi said as though he hadn't gunned the engine in indignation, "I'm glad grandpa and Atemu were able to take you away from that for awhile."

"Mm," Gina agreed. "Honey, can I ask you something?"

Yuugi tensed then relaxed; an act so quick that his mother almost missed it. "Sure mom, what is it?"

Gina steeled herself before voicing the concern she'd had for several days now. "Is - … do you think Atemu's alright?"

"Atemu?" Yuugi echoed, his brows knitting in uncertainty. "Of course he is. Why wouldn't he be?"

When Gina didn't immediately answer, instead allowing the silence to infiltrate the conversation, Yuugi realized exactly how fast he'd answered that question and how distant his response had been. His mother certainly wasn't going to be satisfied with an answer that careless. And, to be honest, Yuugi wasn't happy with it either. Was Atemu alright? It was such an odd question for his mother to ask –

"Yuugi!"

Snapping his attention back to the road Yuugi was able to slam on the breaks in time to keep from rear-ending the car in front of him at the stoplight. It didn't take much convincing for him to agree with Gina that perhaps he should pull over to the side of the road while they continued their conversation.

"Why do you ask?" Yuugi queried after killing the engine.

"He just doesn't seem like himself anymore." Gina undid her seatbelt and turned in her seat, back pressed against the door, so she could face her son. "He was so happy there for awhile. You remember, right? He smiled and laughed and teased all of us without mercy. Just like you used too."

Yuugi hung his head as his mother talked, his palms turned up in his lap, not liking what she had to say, though if that was because he felt she was butting in or because she was speaking the truth he wasn't sure yet.

"But now he seems so sad again, like he did when he first came to us." Gina shook her head in frustration. "I don't understand! Did something happen? Has he said anything to you?"

"No," Yuugi said.

"Do you have any ideas then?" Gina pressed, authentic concern lifting her voice into a higher pitch than normal. She shoved herself into the seat when Yuugi didn't instantly respond. "You two didn't fight? You didn't have an argument or a misunderstanding or something?"

"_No_," Yuugi repeated, bristling. "He _won't_ fight with me."

"He won't- " Gina understood the admission of attempting to fight. "What have you been trying to fight about??"

Yuugi finally lifted his head and turned towards his mother, who had to struggle against recoiling from the rage on his face. "That's not your business mom! Do I ask you what you and grandpa fight over? I don't _want_ to know!"

Gina didn't apologize for the simple fact that she knew it wouldn't be accepted or heard by her son in his current irate state. "We don't try to bring you into our arguments Yuugi." 

"You don't have to." Yuugi huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest and turned pointedly away. "You guys walk into the room _I'm in_ to yell at each other. I can't tune you out no matter how hard I try."

Gina was about to protest before she realized that he was right. She and Sugoroku did have the tendency to gravitate towards Yuugi whenever a fight was brewing between them. She didn't know why, though if she took the time to think about it she was certain an answer – and an entirely selfish one at that – would come to her, and quickly. They would never admit it to Yuugi for fear of giving him even more control over them than he already had because of their love for him, Gina and Sugoroku relied heavily on the youngest member of the family to be the strong, reliant, and above all _intelligent_ one amongst them.

"I'm sorry dear," Gina said truthfully. It was an unfair and unnecessary burden to place upon her son. She had had some inclination of what she and her father were doing, but to actually hear the pain it was causing Yuugi was quite different. "I'm sorry."

Yuugi didn't respond at first, but after several tense moments passed he took a deep breath and released it. "Well," he said, uncomfortable with what he was about to say and hunching his shoulder to his ear in nervousness. "I… can't say I'm completely innocent in all that anyway. I could, you know, leave the room or something."

Gina was speechless. Yuugi was _apologizing_ to her? In this situation? Her heart pounded painfully in her chest with happiness and adoration, both for her son and for Atemu. Yuugi had grown so much in the short time he'd been home, and she knew, without a doubt, that most of that change had been instigated by a desire to please Atemu.

"What's going on Yuugi?" Gina asked again, confident that Yuugi was ready and willing to share his problem with her.

Yuugi's eyes clenched shut, his fingers digging into the muscles of his biceps. "I don't know mom," he said, very quietly. Honestly, he hadn't even noticed Atemu's decline as being anything other than a purposeful attempt to spite him. "I'm such a selfish _idiot_!" he scolded himself under his breath.

"Now now, don't say things like that."

Yuugi peaked at his mother from beneath his bangs. "Even when it's true?"

Gina began shifting in her seat, repositioning herself so she could buckle her seatbelt. There was the briefest hint of a smile on her lips, both happy and sad as she finally realized why her two favorite boys were hurting. She nodded her head towards Yuugi when he made no move to restart the car, indicating that she was ready for them to continue the drive home.

"Relationships are hard, Yuugi. Everyone makes mistakes in the beginning, and you're going to continue making mistakes. It's part of life. And you haven't exactly had the best role models in this area between your grandfather and me."

Yuugi pursed his lips before relenting and reaching for the keys, turning them and coaxing the engine to begin its purr. He didn't put the car in drive, however, because there was one more thing he wanted to ask his mother.

"Do you regret having me?" he whispered, eyes on the road in front of him.

Gina mirrored his posture, eyes fixed on the road, her voice confident and leaving no room for question. "Never, Yuugi. Not once."

"And the one-night stand?"

Gina closed her eyes, though her head remained high. "I cannot say I regret the circumstances, Yuugi, because then I wouldn't have you. But," she paused, making sure to breathe, "I wish I had made a better choice."

"A better choice," Yuugi murmured, his hand resting on the gear shift. "Not the easy one, right?"

"It rarely is." Gina grinned playfully. "Atemu bought something for you at the bakery today."

"Something with apples in it if he knows what's good for him."

"He does."

Nodding, Yuugi pulled the car into gear and merged into traffic.

--------------------------

He looked at the phone in his hand, giving himself one last opportunity to change his mind. Of course, Yuugi had never been one to change his mind unless there was good reason, and he didn't consider indecision to be one, so this hesitation was ludicrous and he moved his fingers into action. The phone only rang once before it was answered.

"_Yeah?"_

"Honda, we need to talk."

--------------------------

The next day, late in the afternoon but not so late as to see the hint of the setting sun, Yuugi was lounging in the family room, flipping through a science magazine. Atemu wasn't due home until much later in the evening, and Yuugi was determined to take the time he had to himself to resolve some of his personal issues and, finally, once he was home, have a _discussion_ with the other man. Not a fight, not a release, not a tantrum, but an actual, true, exchanging of ideas and opinions that, hopefully, would help Yuugi figure out what the hell was going on.

Suffice it to say that when Atemu came stomping up the stairs, not having even taken the time to remove his shoes, clutching his briefcase in one hand and what appeared to be an old piece of paper in the other, scowling and swearing to himself under his breath, Yuugi was struck dumb with shock.

He was about to open his mouth when Atemu swung his arm, releasing his briefcase in mid-arc to let it fly down the hallway and slam into the wall. The scraping sound of the metallic knobs on the end of the briefcase was worse than nails on a chalkboard; it was like screws that get caught beneath a heavy object and dragged against concrete. Yuugi jumped out of the recliner, the magazine forgotten as he ran over to Atemu, caught between the dual urges of hugging the man from behind in an effort to restrain his temper and shouting out his annoyance at the outburst.

"Atemu!" he voiced in an odd, hushed and concerned shout that strangled him until he was forced to choke it out. Yuugi brought his hand to his throat in mild surprise at the sound he'd emitted, but quickly shook it off when he noticed that Atemu had not reacted to his voice. Clearing his throat he tried again. "Até!"

The pet name was able to penetrate through the haze of anger that clouded Atemu's senses. His breathing was harsh and quick, and it took some effort for him to force a swallow of air down his throat in an effort to calm himself long enough to deal with Yuugi before hiding somewhere, preferably dark and quiet.

"Not now, Yuugi," Atemu threw over his shoulder, not bothering to turn and look at the younger man. "I'm sorry for the way I came in unannounced but, oh, just give me some time alright?"

It was the most emotion Yuugi had seen out of Atemu in days and he did not like it. This avoidance was the first thing he had worked on getting out of Atemu's head, and the _anger_… well, that had never truly been there in the first place. He'd been irritated, sure, and hurt, but not _angry_. It was frightening to see such intensity appear so suddenly.

Taking a step towards his friend, Yuugi reached out to touch Atemu's arm in what he hoped would be taken for reassurance. "Whoa now, hey, it's alrigh-"

He cut himself off when Atemu flinched away from him, but was undeterred. Actually, the act motivated him to disregard all pretenses and wrap his arms around Atemu from behind, pressing his front to Atemu's back and pinning the other's arms gently against his sides. Yuugi pushed his nose into the base of the Egyptian's neck and stood quietly, waiting for his calmness to penetrate Atemu.

At least three minutes passed with both men standing still and silent before either felt compelled to break the moment.

"Tell me what happened," Yuugi said softly against Atemu's skin. He added a squeeze to his embrace, trying to get Atemu to neutralize his defenses.

Atemu shook his head at the request but made no other movements. Instead, he offered his own question. "Have you met anyone new recently?"

Yuugi pursed his lips and furrowed his brows at the question. Why the hell would Atemu ask him that?

"I meet lots of people," he said cautiously.

"Have you met anyone interesting?" Atemu amended.

A light shone in Yuugi's head and he shoved Atemu away from himself, turning him around in the process while trying and failing to be gentle about it. Panic took a hold of his stomach and clenched painfully as all the circles that had been weaving and gyrating around his head instantly snapped themselves straight and fell into alignment.

"You _can't_ be _serious_!" Yuugi did manage to shout this time, his desire to do so increasing with the passive look he was being given. "And when were you going to tell me, huh?! How long have you been planning this?!"

Atemu's face grew sour. "_Planning_?" He was in no mood, _no _mood to fight with Yuugi, not here, not now, not after – but Yuugi wasn't giving him any choice and he needed an outlet before he burst, whether into tears or a rage he didn't know. "I'm not planning anything."

"Like hell you aren't."

"_Yuugi_," Atemu groaned, raising his hands to cover his face and in the process crumpling the paper he held in his hand. "I have done nothing but try to make you happy and give you what you want. I've tried to change, I've tried to grow, I've tried to be who you want me to be-"

"That's not fair!"

Atemu ignored the interruption, though he did comment quickly and with bite, "I _wasn't_ complaining." He turned his back to Yuugi again and ran a hand through his hair, finally straightening his spine and standing tall. "All I'm saying is that I don't belong here anymore. I never did really, but you helped me believe I did for awhile. You've done your best-"

_Stomp._

"-and you've done a great job with me-"

_Stomp!_

"-but it's time for you to move on."

_STOMP!_

Atemu stopped talking. That last stamping of his foot by Yuugi was rather loud and poignant and threatened bodily harm if he didn't shut up and listen.

Yuugi stood, shaking in his rage, trying to best surmise how to lash out vocally at Atemu because oh, as much as he _longed_ to jump the man and pummel him for his insolence, he knew he would never be able to overcome him physically. When he thought of it that way, the words came rather easily.

"_You stupid moron!_"

Short, but it got his point across.

What Yuugi wasn't expecting was to hear Atemu agree with him.

"You may be fond of me now, Yuugi, but that isn't going to last much longer. No fault of your own of course," Atemu added, attempting to cut off any further protests. "It's just as much as you've helped me improve, it doesn't spread… well, let's just say it doesn't spread to _all_ aspects of my life."

Atemu lowered his eyes to look at the paper in his hands one last time before dropping it to the floor and walking with solid defeat towards the bathroom, slowly closing the door behind him, leaving in his wake a single sentence:

"Find someone who can give you what you need and make you happy in ways that I can't."

Yuugi couldn't find it in himself to do any more than gape after him, the effect of being blindsided by Atemu's anger and confession and finally a cryptic message robbing him of all immediate retaliation. After what felt like an eternity he jerked and knelt on the floor, reaching out and capturing the page Atemu had dropped with his fingertips and pulling it to himself. Scrutinizing the page, he felt giddy laughter bubble inside him, because the paper only offered more questions and not a single answer.

Though he couldn't be sure, he thought the scratchy writing to be in Arabic. Or, at least, what he'd always expected Arabic to look like, if you could trust what you saw in the movies.

Yuugi heard the shower. Heard the damnable drops of water rain down into the porcelain tub.

He clutched the paper in his hand, crinkling it beyond recognition.

He then raised himself to his feet, quite calmly, walked to the bathroom door, examined it…

… then kicked it down.

He'd be _damned_ if after everything else, he was going to allow Atemu to hide from him again in a brainless shower.

Sugoroku would just have to live with the fact that as long as Yuugi and Atemu lived in his home, no door would be safe from harm.

--------------------------

That evening Yuugi had insisted against Atemu's soft protests to sleep nearly on the man's back while the Egyptian slept on his stomach. Yuugi's stubborn will was not to be dissuaded and Atemu had eventually understood that if he wanted any sleep at all he was going to have to relent to the younger man's baffling desire.

Yuugi's cheek was pressed firmly into the back of Atemu's neck, the soft strands of the other man's hair comforting and reassuring. His shoulders were almost parallel to Atemu's, his chest flush against his back and his hips half-hazardly pressing the other pair into the mattress. His leg was over the closet one to him, and he had his left hand hooked beneath Atemu's left shoulder, fingers curling around the joint, while his other arm was stretched and anchored around the Atemu's torso.

The nature of the embrace was lost in the dark, producing nothing more than mounds and valleys to be highlighted by the sheet and blanket that covered the two bodies. It was not romantic in nature, even though it could be seen that way by untrained eyes. It was possessive, as though Yuugi were a chain wrapped around and restraining an object that had the potential to be lost.

And though Yuugi didn't want to admit it, the fear that swam in his stomach and curdled his nerves like soured milk would no longer allow him to delude himself into disbelieving that the thought of Atemu leaving his life terrified him.

Atemu had been too stunned by the force Yuugi had used to break down the bathroom door – and in essence break down his shield – to resist being pulled out of the shower still fully clothed and sopping wet. Yuugi had drug him to the laundry room where he'd proceeded to strip the man, throw a towel around him, push him back into their shared room and throw him onto the bed, squeezing him to the point of being painful. Not once did Atemu speak to him, and not once did Yuugi ask him to. Nothing would be gained from the effort.

Yuugi was unwilling to hear the truth, and Atemu was unwilling to explain himself. It was a dire combination for communication. But that didn't mean there wasn't anything to say.

"Atemu?" Yuugi asked. Atemu didn't answer seeing as how he was asleep, so Yuugi shook him lightly before calling his name again. Receiving a muffled grunt he made a third attempt. "Até?

"Nn… what is it, Heba?" Atemu asked, his voice breathy with his fatigue. He was roused enough to answer, though not necessarily understand, and his voice gave away this fact.

Yuugi squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to restrain his emotions. To hell be damned with all the stupid hesitations and assumptions and running and accusations and insecurities he'd forced upon himself and everyone else around him. If just one sentence from Atemu was enough to stop his heart cold and halt his thoughts with the severity of an electric shock, than he was even a bigger shit than he'd accused Honda of being the day before.

"Don't leave," he said, his voice holding a plea. "Not yet. Not now."

Atemu made some unintelligible sound that Yuugi took as agreement, whether or not it was one.

"And stay home tomorrow," Yuugi continued. "No, I don't care," he said when Atemu woke himself up enough to complain that he had to go to work. "Call in sick, or I will. Just don't go. Please."

Atemu sighed heavily, nodding his head into his pillow to get comfortable. "Alright Heba, I won't."

Yuugi's heart skipped a beat. "Good," he said. "Good." He released a harsh breath. "Okay then. Good."

It was a start. To what, though, Yuugi didn't know.

--------------------------

_to be continued…_


	14. Intervention

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: And welcome to the first of the five chapters that will conclude the story of Carry On. Thank you so much for your patience while I finished these. I'm currently working on the last scene of the final chapter, but if I don't start posting now then this story won't be finished until June because I'm going to be going out of state in May, and I'd like to have this over with so I can take a break and start working on some new ideas. With that, I hope you guys enjoy what is to come! I'd love to hear what you think of these final chapters. -smiles-

Enjoy!

- Ocean

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Fourteen – Intervention_

The fact that Yuugi had broken the bathroom door to drag a clothed Atemu out of the shower barely registered in Sugoroku's mind beyond the implication that the need for such a drastic action indicated Atemu had fallen further and Yuugi was infinitely more agitated than he'd allowed himself to believe.

The pensive air that followed the two young men like a loyal dog disturbed Sugoroku to the point that he had closed his store prematurely and called his daughter, summoning her home on her lunch hour to come and help him understand what was going on. It had started from the moment he'd awoken and stumbled into the kitchen to discover that not only was his grandson awake at an uncommonly early hour, but that Atemu was sitting at the table hours after he should have been at work, looking for all intent and purpose as though he was bored out of his skull. Having never known the man to miss work for any occasion, including that short bout with a chest cold he'd had while Yuugi was in Hawaii, his presence alone was enough to alert Sugoroku that something was amiss.

He'd watched as Yuugi hovered around Atemu like a doting mother, never letting him out of his sight, even to the extent of following him down the hall to the bathroom and leaning against the wall while the Egyptian relieved himself. After breakfast the two men had removed themselves to the living room where upon sitting in the recliner Atemu had found Yuugi stoically in his lap. For the past two hours neither man had moved, and only two lines of conversation had passed between them.

"I didn't stay home from work for you to sit on me all day."

"You agreed to stay home so stop complaining, I'm thinking and it's hard to do when you're whining."

Sugoroku turned his eyes from them to look at the clock in the kitchen, his brows furrowing in anticipated worry. Gina said she'd be home within the half hour. He hoped her mother's intuition would help shed some light on the bizarre behavior he'd witnessed all morning.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Yuugi rolled his right shoulder, the one pressing into Atemu's chest, relieving some of the tension that had gathered during his persistent vigil. The other man ignored the movement in the same detached manner he'd ignored Yuugi since the younger man had occupied his legs, keeping his head turned away, his eyes closed, and his arms resting purposefully on both armrests. The deliberate lack of attention didn't bother Yuugi because he was too engrossed in his own thoughts to pay any mind to Atemu. As long as the man was in his sights, and he was going to be because Yuugi had no intention of moving off his lap, he didn't much care what he did.

Lowering his eyes to his own lap, Yuugi wiggled his upturned fingers lightly. Atemu had woken at his usual hour that morning, and Yuugi had feared that as he'd watched him get out of bed that he'd only agreed to call in sick in order to make Yuugi be quiet so he could sleep. He'd followed him tentatively and had felt immense relief when he caught up with Atemu in the kitchen, who'd been on the phone to the office explaining that he was taking a personal day. Yuugi'd been serious when he'd said that he'd be the one to call in for Atemu, but watching the other man keep his word brought a sense of pure affection that had left him baffled. The strong emotion did not dissipate when Atemu hung up the phone, nor when the Egyptian had proceeded to make himself a cup of tea. After a moment of fighting against his brain's obnoxious tantrum at being awake at such an ungodly hour Yuugi had entered the kitchen and procured himself a glass of water before taking a seat next to Atemu. The two had sat in silence until Sugoroku had emerged, at which point Yuugi had forced breakfast upon them.

And now here they were, sitting in a chair and as far apart as when they'd been on different islands. Yuugi didn't know what the next step was, or even what direction he wanted to go in. During the night he'd come to accept that as much as he hated the idea, he was in love with Atemu to an extent he hadn't been with anyone else, and that this made him a pathetic loser who was as lost and confused and irritated as a foreign tourist without a translator. Well, so be it. There was nothing he could do about it now other than kick Atemu out, which was obviously not going to happen after his panicked plea to keep the man in his life the night before. He let the stress of this acceptance escape him with a harsh sigh and moved on to the next thought that was bothering him.

Even though _he_'d been a royal ass, Yuugi found that he couldn't explain Atemu's rampant behavior when he'd come home from work the previous day. The paper he'd had in his hand at the time held the key, Yuugi knew, and the fact that he couldn't read it pissed him off exponentially. He could always take it to the university and have it translated, of course, but he had the real inclination that he didn't have the time for that. Atemu's words haunted him, sitting in his heart, leaking fear every now and then like an old faucet. What had he meant, telling him to find someone to make him happy in ways that he couldn't? And who the hell was he to tell Yuugi how long he'd be fond of him?! Yuugi did not take well to being told what his emotions should and would be, especially not from someone who appeared so _ignorant_ of the matter. In a brief lack of self control Yuugi balled his fist and hit Atemu's shoulder, returning the glare that was given to him.

"What the hell was that for?" Atemu grumbled, moving his head but not his eyes away from Yuugi before eventually closing them again when the younger man answered.

"Shut up."

Yuugi scowled because the action hadn't relieved any of the coiled tension in his body or provoked a true reaction from Atemu. He just didn't know what to do, how to make Atemu talk to him or how to curtail his own impulsive desire to lash out his insecurities physically instead of verbally. His mother had told him that relationships were hard, but this almost-relationship he had with the Egyptian was pure hell. The bitterness in him wondered if the fight was worth it, but the romantic in him wouldn't allow him to indulge in the thought for long, and to his surprise he felt a sense of peace warm his mind and calm him in a deep and cleansing manner. Breathing deeply, Yuugi allowed himself, for once in his life, to stop projecting the image of the tough and independent man he assumed was expected of him and let his heart assume full control.

"Atemu?" Yuugi asked quietly. He wasn't surprised when he didn't get a response, accepting of the fact that whatever Atemu was going through, the man seemed to believe that the silent treatment was the way to get through it. "It's okay, just listen, please?" He took another breath to compose himself, satisfied when he felt the rigid body beneath him loosen when he'd announced he didn't expect active participation.

"I called Honda the other day," Yuugi began. "I told him I was tired of how he was acting, how he was treating you. But mostly, I'm just tired of him being a dick. I can't really say he and I have gotten along lately, even before you came around. I don't know… I guess he was always Jounochi's friend more than he was mine. I didn't mind him of course, but I, um, I never really felt close to him, you know? Not like I do with Jounochi and Anzu." Yuugi looked toward the kitchen when he heard the chair scrape across the linoleum, but he didn't stop his confession when he saw his grandfather come into the room and look at him with compassionate worry. He wasn't willing to let go of the freeing sensation that came from having someone listen to him like this without injecting their own opinion and analysis.

"Anyway," Yuugi said, noticing that he was rambling, "I told Honda that we needed to go our separate ways."

"Yuugi," Sugoroku said with sympathy. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'm sure," Yuugi answered with a curt nod. He looked at Atemu from beneath his bangs quickly before adverting his eyes. The other man still wouldn't acknowledge him. "It was an easy decision, really. When it came between him and- … well, like I said, it was no contest. I just thought you should know Atemu. You too, Jichan," he added.

Sugoroku brought his hands to his face and held his head, not quite sure what to make of this latest revelation. Never had he thought that Yuugi would cut off one of his friends. He felt a mixture of pride and anxiety that left his stomach disagreeable. He peeked through his fingers at the recliner, noticing that Atemu still hadn't responded to Yuugi in any manner. "Is he asleep?"

Yuugi chuckled, though there wasn't much humor in the sound. "No. He's just giving me the silent treatment."

This roused Sugoroku's suspicion. "Why?"

Yuugi shrugged. "You'd have to ask him."

Sugoroku frowned at this, making his way further into the room and taking a seat on the couch. Neither of the young men appeared willing to reveal what was going on, though he was observant enough to see that on Yuugi's end it was not a lack of willingness but of understanding that kept him quiet. As for Atemu, something must have triggered his silence. Apparently it was going to be a family affair to get the answer out of him.

"You're stupid."

Both Yuugi and Sugoroku jumped at Atemu's words. Yuugi raised his head from the man's chest to look at him; surprised at the accusing side-long stare he was given. It took a conscious effort not to allow anger to overwhelm him at the fact that Atemu still refused to look at him head on. Instead, he demonstrated his confusion with his expression.

"You would throw away a friend so easily?" Atemu's words were clipped, edgy, and indicated clearly the displeasure he felt. "You would make it sound like it's some kind of damned act of martyrdom that you would choose me over him? Do you have any idea how selfish that is?" He turned his eyes away but, instead of closing them, directed a glare at the wall. He gripped the armrests tightly, enough so to expose the straining tendons in his hands. "Don't do me any favors."

"What in the world has gotten into you?" Yuugi asked, pure disbelief in his voice. "I _wasn't_. I did this for myself, not for you. Just because you were part of it doesn't make it about _you_. You're the one being egotistical to think everything I do is because of you. I do have some pride, you know." He crossed his arms and huffed, watching as Atemu's face turned sour during his explanation. "Get over yourself."

Yuugi grew worried as the muscle in Atemu's jaw clenched so violently that he heard his teeth grind against each other. The tendon in his neck was visible, quivering beneath the olive skin. But other than these indications and the look of absolute hatred in his eyes, Atemu made no other movement, voiced no other concern or opinion. As the seconds ticked by and Atemu refused to do more than sit and fume in his emotions Yuugi's worry gradually morphed into fear. He could feel the anger, the loathing, the power of the negativity shaking Atemu's body so forcefully it was almost a struggle to remain seated on his lap.

"God! _Talk_ to me Atemu! Don't just sit there and hold it in. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong!"

Yuugi flinched when Atemu's head snapped and he was the recipient of an expression sharp and hard enough to cut glass. He didn't even realize he'd stood and backed away from the recliner until he watched Atemu curl into himself and to the furthest side of the chair, teeth barred and eyes narrowed. He tried to gain Atemu's attention but to no avail, and his frustration nearly brought tears to his eyes as he whipped around to face his grandfather.

"What do I do?!" he asked. Yuugi plunged his hands into his hair and pulled as hard as he dared, unaware of the pain he was causing in his Sugoroku. He was feeling so overwhelmed with the possibility of Atemu permanently leaving him that he wasn't paying any attention to the effect his and Atemu's altercation was having on the other member of the family. "How do I get him to talk to me when he refuses like this? How can I fix things when I don't know what's going on?!"

Sugoroku jumped up from the couch and embraced his grandson, mostly to offer support but also to restrain his wildly gesticulating arms before he hit one of them in the face. "Easy Yuugi, easy. Whoa!" he said when his grandson nearly toppled both of them before he realized he was being held. "Careful! We'll figure it out but first we need to help him through whatever he's going through, okay?"

Yuugi defiantly shook his head and grimaced. He wasn't at all satisfied with sitting back and watching Atemu implode, only _then_ to step in and get to the bottom of things.

The sound of the screen door and feet rapidly ascending the stairs didn't penetrate the thick atmosphere, and it wasn't until Gina gasped in surprise and flung herself to the floor at Atemu's side that anyone noticed she was home.

"Atemu?" she asked worriedly, raising her hands and placing them on his cheeks, holding his head gently. Tears came to her eyes when she saw the anguish on his face, and once he truly looked at her and his angry façade broke into pure despair she let them fall. "Oh my dear, what happened?" She turned to face her father and her son, repeating her question. "Yuugi? Dad? What's going on?"

Yuugi grunted loudly, a sound that reverberated with his confusion and failing patience with everything that was happening. "I don't _know_!" he shouted. He stopped himself from saying anything further when he saw Atemu flinch violently at his voice, falling off the chair and into Gina's waiting embrace. Yuugi felt a stab of jealousy that Atemu was willing to be comforted by his mother and not by him, and shook himself free of his grandfather's embrace. "I…"

"Shh," Gina hushed into Atemu's hair, rocking him gently while trying to convey to her son with her eyes that she was going to help him the best she could. "It's alright, it's okay, we aren't going to force anything out of you you don't want to tell us." She gave a warning glance to Yuugi when she felt him disagree. "_No_, we aren't. We're just going to sit here until you're ready."

Eventually Atemu nodded against Gina's shoulder, his body going lax in her arms with fatigue. By God did he miss his mother, the loving and comforting embrace that was always waiting for him should he need it. He would forever be thankful to Gina for offering her arms to him, to a nobody like him who didn't deserve her compassion. And Sugoroku, who had treated him like a son who wasn't a shame to the family. And Yuugi…

Atemu opened his eyes and turned them in the younger man's direction, still unable to bring himself to face him fully. The raw emotion he saw in him was finally able to pull his voice from his throat, raw as though he hadn't used it in months.

"What _is_ it with you?" he asked, slowly pulling himself from Gina's embrace to face Yuugi. "I keep telling you to stop pursuing me and you just won't listen! Do you have any idea what you're doing or why you're doing it? This is just a phase you're going through! Don't you get that?! I'm just a phase!"

"No you're not!" Yuugi shouted back, more than ready for the fight that was a long time in coming. Neither he nor Atemu seemed to realize or care that they had an audience, and perhaps that was for the best so neither of them would pull their punches. "Jesus, you're not this stupid! How many times do _I_ have to tell _you_ that I like having you around and want you here? Cut that out!"

Yuugi was referring to Atemu's dramatic eye roll as he'd spoken, the Egyptian pulling himself to his feet and pacing to the other side of the room. "Oh come off it already. You like having _every_one around for awhile. Why should I believe I'm any different?"

"Because you are!"

"LIAR!"

Even Atemu appeared startled at the loudness of his protest, everyone having raised a hand to their chest or their mouth at the outburst. Color rising to his cheeks in embarrassment, Atemu forced himself to take a calming breath before continuing. "Look," he said, fisting one hand on his hip in defiance to the accusatory stare Yuugi was giving him. "I'm tired of this charade, aren't you? All the games we've played and the secrets we've kept, they're just a waste of time. I don't want to _do_ this anymore. It's too hard."

"What's too hard?" Gina asked once the silence became oppressive.

"Pretending I belong here," Atemu said, his voice returning to its normal, quiet and smooth tone. He spared a glance at Yuugi, who stood gaping at him like a fish, before redirecting his attention to a spot on the far wall over Gina's shoulder. "Yuugi, stop kidding yourself, will you? You don't have anything to prove to anyone. I've already told you that you're perfect just the way you are. Move _on_ already, away from me and all the crap that I-"

"I love you."

A leaf falling on the sidewalk outside could be heard in the room, all eyes on Yuugi, whose eyes were trained on the carpet at his feet with his brows furrowed in thoughtfulness. His voice hadn't been loud, certainly shouldn't have been loud enough to interrupt Atemu's strong words, but it had, and now that he had everyone's attention he wasn't sure he wanted it. He bit his lower lip softly.

"I'll be damned, but I do." Yuugi raised his head and looked confidently at Atemu, whose eyes had doubled in size. "Know how I know? Because all that bullshit you've been spouting, I don't care. Even if it's true, which it _isn't_," he made certain to emphasize, "I don't care. About any of it. Pretending you belong here," he scoffed, and with determined footsteps walked to Atemu and forced the man into an embrace by clamping his arms around his neck. "I swear sometimes you're the densest man alive."

Atemu froze at the contact, unprepared for the admission and the force of Yuugi's hug. He'd expected Yuugi to pull out the ammunition of 'I love you' in an effort to keep him around longer, but he hadn't expected him to mean it. Not really _mean_ it, not in the way he'd meant it when he'd told Yuugi that he was in love with him. But there was a little part of his brain refusing to be silent that was celebrating the fact that he was loved, he was loved and at last by a man who was a good man and not the degenerates he used to fall for. It was too much to believe. He didn't believe it but he did believe it and Yuugi continued to hug him in that amazingly sincere and aggressive way that left no room for doubt that his words had been true. And just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, the unthinkable happened.

Two more pairs of arms encircled him and Yuugi, holding them tightly, a head resting against the back of his shoulder while he felt the outline of a face pressed against his bicep.

"My grandson's eloquent words have a point," Sugoroku said, adding an extra squeeze to his embrace. "If you don't know you belong in our family by now then you aren't as clever as we know you are."

"I told you Yuugi'd explain everything to you when he got home," Gina said through a smile. "I admit it took him longer than I thought it would." She laughed when Yuugi groaned in playful indignation. "But we do love you Atemu. All of us. And if you think the Motou family is letting you go that easily, well," she paused as all three members tightened their hold on the now trembling Egyptian, "you've got quite the fight on your hands, don't you?"

It took the entire family's strength to support Atemu when he collapsed on them in tears, and pretty soon all of them felt the wetness falling from their eyes, despite the grins on their faces.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

The house was quiet with that full sense of silence that existed only when everyone was home but only one member of the family was awake. The sun had settled itself long ago and darkness had eagerly permeated the world in its wake, bringing along a calmness that was desperately welcomed by the Motous. Only two lights were on in the building; one low-watt bulb in the lower landing, illuminating the stairs, and a slightly stronger light from a side-table lamp in the living room. Atemu was curled next to this second light, his knees drawn beneath him on the loveseat while his upper body was supported by the arm cushion. In his hands he held the letter that had sparked the entire ordeal of that afternoon.

Gina had reluctantly returned to work once the tears had stopped flowing, lamenting that she would have to work extra late because of how long she'd been gone. Sugoroku and Yuugi had promised to tend to Atemu in her absence, and had done so with vigilance. Holding, soothing, supporting and encouraging, the two had aided the Egyptian's efforts to find himself again. Surprisingly this hadn't taken as long as everyone had thought it would, and once Atemu had collected himself they'd discovered that it was Yuugi who was worse for wear and needed the attention. Emotionally exhausted, and still affected by the fear of abandonment Atemu had induced, the young man stubbornly refused to allow any consideration to be placed on him until fatigue overcame him and he'd relented to lying down early and going to bed. Atemu had lain with him for a little over an hour before he was satisfied that Yuugi was sleeping the sleep of exhaustion and wouldn't be stirring any time soon. When he'd exited from their bedroom, closing the door quietly behind himself, he was greeted by Sugoroku on his way to his own bed, grumbling good-naturedly that he was too old for the drama of children and needed rest.

Atemu found that he wasn't particularly tired after his emotional breakdown. He wouldn't say he was numb, but that was the best word he could offer to explain how he felt. It had been a relief, to say the least, to allow himself to cry so freely in such an aggressively protective embrace. All the years of torment, of hurt and fear and ridicule had burst from their prison when he'd been told in no uncertain terms that here, in a little game shop in Japan, he was accepted, he was _loved_, for exactly the reasons he was hated at home. The pressure had been so great that he'd felt like an elephant had sat on him. He wasn't embarrassed by his reaction to the Motous' professions of love, though he certainly wasn't proud of his complete collapse into hysterics. It would be naïve to think that after one moment's release all his problems had been solved and that he'd been drastically changed, but it was a step on a new path. He was just going to have to hold on to that and hope that he was finally headed in the right direction, preferably one that would allow him to shed his sense of worthlessness and belief that he was undeserving of compassion.

He smiled lightly when he heard the screen door open and waited patiently for Gina to ascend the stairs. He greeted her with a wave of his hand, and she accepted the invitation to come into the room and join him. Surprising Atemu, Gina opted to sit on the floor in front of him with her back supported by the coffee table and legs stretched out in front of her. She smiled fondly at him, reaching forward to put a hand on his knee before settling herself into a comfortable position.

"How are you feeling?" Gina asked.

Atemu's shoulder twitched in the semblance of a shrug. "Alright at the moment, I guess."

Gina shifted her weight so she could peer into the kitchen. "Where's Yuugi? And dad?" She returned her gaze to Atemu. "I didn't expect them to let you out of their sight."

Atemu laughed, though the effort took a lot out of him. "Your father has the tenacity of a badger, but I'm afraid Yuugi and I tax him in ways he's not used too. As for Yuugi…" Atemu lowered his eyes to the letter in his hands, frowning in consideration. "I think all this has been really hard on him." The fact that he didn't understand why was evident in the tone of his voice.

"He doesn't take forced change very well," Gina offered in explanation. "Especially not in himself."

"Mm," Atemu acknowledged, though he didn't remove his eyes from the letter.

"Is he sleeping?" She grinned knowingly when Atemu nodded his head. "Good. He'll be fine once he gets some rest. You'll see."

They sat in amicable silence for a few minutes, neither pressing on the other the need for conversation. Gina was more than happy to sit with Atemu, offering her quiet support and acceptance of his presence. She did grow concerned when she noticed him begin to fidget, and when his eyes flashed to hers for a moment before returning to the letter, she invited him to share what was on his mind.

Atemu folded his lower lip between his teeth and bit it gently. "Why doesn't it bother you?" he finally asked.

"Why doesn't what bother me?"

"Us." Atemu opened his hand and swung his arm wide, trying to convey his meaning without words. "Me," he added, folding his arm to indicate himself. He lifted his eyes to meet Gina's directly. "Why don't you hate who I am?"

"Who are you?" Gina was only partially playing dumb; though she thought she had a good idea what Atemu was referring to, she wanted to hear him say it, hear him confront the ugliness he had been shown throughout his life.

Atemu's mouth worked to let the words come, though it appeared to be a painful process. "I've… been told most of my life that I'm nothing. Even before I… before they…" He shook his head, not ready to confront that confession just yet. "My brother is the perfect son. Obedient, respectful, handsome. He married the ideal woman. My parents adore her. I understand why they love him. But me…" He sighed heavily, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'll never be like him. I don't know how to be like him. I tried, but I can't do it."

"What are you trying to say Atemu?" Gina asked in an effort to help guide the younger man she now considered her second son.

"Why is it okay that I'm gay?" Atemu asked suddenly, a desperate edge to his words. "Why is it okay that I'm not normal? That I _'choose'_ this lifestyle when everyone knows that it's wrong and disgusting and a sin? _Why_?!"

Gina didn't answer right away, uncertain how best to explain herself. She didn't want to give Atemu the impression that her answer was formulated or that she was placating him. He deserved an honest response and she was determined to give him one. Choosing her words carefully, she eventually began to speak.

"Honestly, Atemu, I can't say that I'm okay with it. I mean, I wouldn't be comfortable being gay, it isn't something I would choose." She put a hand to the floor and leaned on her arm, tilting her head to the side. "As for it being a choice, well, I have nothing to say on that. How would I know if it's a choice or not? It's not like I understand how it works. If you tell me that it isn't one, then I believe you."

Atemu brought a hand to his face and groaned, supporting his forehead with his fingertips. "No one would choose this hell," he muttered.

Gina ignored the comment, hearing it for the frustration that it was. "To tell you the truth, Atemu, and I mean this, I don't really care if you're gay. What has that got to do with me?"

Atemu's eyes widened in shock and his mouth went slack before he spoke. "Nothing to…? Seriously? Doesn't my just being here bring disgrace and shame and disgust you? Wouldn't others ridicule you if they knew I was here?"

"I don't know if they would," Gina said, shrugging indifferently. "As for the rest." She looked at Atemu critically. "What are you going to do that's shameful and disgusting? Are you going to attack us?"

"What? No!"

"Steal from us?"

Atemu vehemently shook his head, nearly bouncing himself off the couch.

"Rape me? Or Yuugi?"

Okay, maybe she had gone too far with that one when she saw the look of resentment that crossed Atemu's face.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to imply-" Gina folded her legs and reached towards Atemu. She cringed when he initially flinched away from her, but found relief when he realized what she'd said and settled himself. "I'm just trying to get you to understand that you aren't any of those things, Atemu. You're not disgusting, you're not a source of shame, you aren't some horrible person!" She took hold of his forearms, waiting until he turned his head towards her, though his eyes were still on the floor. "Oh, my dear, don't you see it yet? How much we love you? What a wonderful person you are? How proud we are of you?"

Atemu remained motionless for a good two minutes before releasing a harsh breath and nodding his head, offering Gina a fleeting smile of acknowledgement. The woman gave him a final squeeze on his arms and then settled herself back against the coffee table, a cautious air surrounding her movements. She hadn't meant to push him so hard so soon and her confidence wavered. It was only now that she noticed the letter in Atemu's hands, and when she reached out her palm, asking to see it, she was touched that he handed it to her without hesitation, though the manner had been solemn. Glancing at the writing Gina understood that it was a letter from home.

"No, I haven't told him yet," Atemu offered, leaning his head against the back cushion of the couch and closing his eyes.

"Told him what?" Gina asked distractedly, her thoughts lost in her perusal of the letter.

"My family," Atemu said with a long-suffering breath. "About the phone call while he was in Hawaii."

"Oh," Gina said, finally looking up from the letter. "Well, um, hm." It took her a moment to know what she wanted to say. "I… suppose it is your story to tell, Atemu. You don't _have_ to tell him."

Atemu gave a derisive snort. "What's one more secret, right?"

"I don't really know if it's that much of a secret," Gina admitted. "He may not know the details, but I'm sure Yuugi's picked up on something. He's drawn to people with a troubled past."

"Indeed."

Atemu sighed deeply and pulled himself from the couch to sit on the floor in front of Gina, taking care not to sit on her outstretched legs when he positioned himself against the couch. He retrieved his letter and folded it carefully before roughly shoving it into his pants' pocket. He shook off the concerned look he was given at his actions and bent his knee, resting his arm on top of it.

"You know what gets me?" he asked, biting the side of his finger. "That even when I give in to him and leave the country my father _still_ influences everything I do. He says he wants nothing to do with me until I agree to do as he says, yet he takes every opportunity to alert me to the fact that I'm a failure. Why does he do that?"

"I don't know," Gina whispered. "I really don't know. All I can say is that, to me, he still loves you and doesn't want to let you go."

"I don't know about that," Atemu said bitterly. "If we were talking about my mother or my brother, I might believe it. But not him." He turned his head to the side, eyes looking upon a country thousands of miles away. "This has more to do with control than anything else."

"I don't want to believe that," Gina admitted.

Atemu smirked, rolling his eyes. "I know. You're just like Yuugi. You two want to believe that there's good in everyone, that everyone wants to do the right thing. You guys don't seem to understand that the 'right thing' is different in everyone's eyes."

The reprimand stung, and Gina found herself lowering her eyes in response. "What does the letter say?"

After a moment Atemu nodded to himself and stood, offering his hand to Gina and assisting her off the floor. He kept hold of her hand once she was standing, bringing his other over to cover it warmly. "Thank you for listening to me tonight. And for earlier." He pulled her lightly to him and hugged her gently. "You're a blessing to this tired fool."

Gina returned the embrace, shaking her head in full understanding of the frustration that Yuugi must feel when trying to get through to Atemu. "You're too hard on yourself. And on Yuugi." She pulled back and placed her hands on his shoulders affectionately. "You can trust him Atemu. Even if he wasn't in love with you, you could trust him. But, since he is," she said slyly, smirking herself at the flattered grin appearing on Atemu's face, "you can tell him anything. He'll do anything for you, you know. You _know_ he will. He may complain as he does it, but he will do it."

Atemu laughed heartily. "Yeah yeah, point taken." He rolled his shoulder towards the hallway before offering his arm to Gina. "Come on, it's late and I don't know about you, but I'm eager for this day to end."

"Mm-hmm," Gina said, knowing full well that Atemu was simply putting an end to the conversation before she could drill any more advice into his head. "You are smooth." When Atemu flashed a smile she couldn't help but give in, taking his arm and allowing him to lead her to her bedroom before he bid her goodnight and entered his own room. She watched after him until he closed the door.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Hrm?" Yuugi grunted when he felt the bed move beneath him. Before he knew it he was shoved onto his back from his side and there was an unmistakable warm weight on top of him. He fought to open his eyes, only realizing the futility of the battle once he had won it for the room was so dark he couldn't see Atemu's face. He scowled in a confusion brought about by his rude awakening. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Atemu said, his voice low and husky in such a way as to make part of Yuugi's mind jump to attention. "I'm just coming to bed and you were lying on my side."

"Huh?"

Atemu chuckled, leaning down to place a kiss to Yuugi's lips before rolling onto his side, on _his_ side of the bed, and pulling the sheet around his body. Yuugi had begun to raise his arms to wrap them around the man on top of him but, when he found only empty air above him, decided to roll away from the disturbance and go back to sleep. He didn't protest when an arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him back against a firm chest, though he did offer a muffled complaint when Atemu nuzzled the tip of his nose into his hair. The motion tickled and Yuugi was simply too tired to laugh.

"Alright, go back to sleep," Atemu murmured around a smile. "I'll be quiet."

"Nn-hmm," Yuugi sort of said. He didn't have time to elaborate on the thought, sleep overtook him so quickly.

Atemu laid awake for a short while after Yuugi fell back asleep, not really thinking, just allowing himself to be in a place of stillness that was non-threatening and almost peaceful. Gina had been wrong about one thing. Trusting Yuugi was not the problem, nor had it ever been. What concerned Atemu more was that Yuugi was going through his own transitions and self-revelations, just as he was, and he knew from experience that judgments and professions made during these times were usually unreliable. It was a difficult position to be in because he wanted to believe everything Yuugi told him, but he also didn't want to play the dupe and naïvely follow all emotional confessions. He'd been fighting that instinct his whole life and bared the scars to prove it. He just needed to be sure.

With a final squeeze to Yuugi's waist Atemu closed his eyes and went to sleep.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

_to be continued_…


	15. Questions

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: A shorter chapter, but the next one more than makes up for it. At least… I hope that's the response you guys will have! Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter, and a special thank you to all those who reviewed. Enjoy this next installment!

Ocean

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Fifteen – Questions_

Considering the carnival that had been the past few days, the following week was almost disappointing in the mundane way in which it passed. The game shop received a shipment of new board games, Gina was finally promoted to assistant manager at the bakery, and Atemu kept his early hours at Kaiba Corporations. The most noteworthy event was Yuugi's sudden interest in getting a job. He now spent most of his free time gathering references, updating his resume, and scouring the internet for openings. When he hadn't found a satisfactory position – one that he refused to name when asked what he was looking for – he'd thrown his hands into the air and shouted that he'd settle for a teaching position at the university.

This was a load of bullshit in his family's eyes. Yuugi had never been the sort of person who just admitted what he wanted. He always had to make it some sort of forced confession; a settlement, if you will, one that you should be grateful he was making. And then, once his back was turned to you, he'd break out into hysterical laughter at your gullibility. The man was an oddity that made his family proud.

A focused Yuugi was a rarity in the Motou home, and the quietness that now followed his movements left Gina and Sugoroku in a state of mild confusion. Atemu appeared less concerned by the change, though he did offer his own perplexed gaze to Yuugi when the younger man had offered to do his laundry for him. Such an occurrence was becoming routine and it was taking a conscious effort for the household to adjust to the chores being split between four people instead of three. Since he had decided on working and was actively pursuing a job Yuugi had begun to act like the responsible adult his mother had always known was hidden beneath his boyish charm.

Little conversation had taken place between Atemu and Yuugi outside pleasantries and inquiries into the other's day. There was a slight tension between them, but it wasn't palpable, and in fact could be noticed only when the two of them found the other exasperating. But these moments quickly passed before they would fall back into amiable companionship.

Atemu had decided to come home on his lunch break, wanting to take advantage of his oasis away from the office to cook himself a lunch that wasn't catered from a posh restaurant. Expensive food was good and all, but Atemu would always have a fondness for the home cooked meal, a leftover from his time in Egypt and the mouthwatering aromas that continuously wafted from his mother's kitchen. After saying a quick hello to Sugoroku in his game shop, Atemu removed his jacket and tossed it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs, rolling the cuffs on both arms up to his elbows and setting to work collecting the pots and ingredients necessary for his dish.

After twenty minutes of cooking Atemu heard the screen door and turned towards the stairs to see who had come home. He brought a spoon to his mouth to taste the seasoning of one of the components of his dish, frowning at the flavor, automatically adding more garlic as he used his spoon to wave at Yuugi.

"I didn't expect you home," Yuugi said by way of greeting, removing his own jacket and tossing it over Atemu's. He took hold of one of the chairs and spun it around so he could straddle it and easily look at the home chef. "What're you making?"

"Koshary," Atemu answered, lowering the fire under one of his pots before coming to take a seat at the table beside Yuugi. "My mother used to make it all the time when I was younger."

Yuugi sniffed the air, trying and failing to deduce the components of the dish. "What's in it?"

"Well," Atemu said, raising his hand to tick off the ingredients on his fingers. "There's macaroni, spaghetti, and rice, black lentils, chick peas, garlic and tomato chili sauce mixed together."

Yuugi's face said it all. "That's… an interesting combination. Tomato chili sauce, huh? Is it spicy?"

"Oh, very," Atemu said with a delectable smirk and wink, causing Yuugi to laugh at the purposefully bad drama. "And the best part is that it's all topped with fried onions."

"Ugh, I can hardly wait." Yuugi brought a hand to his stomach and held it for emphasis, sticking out his tongue.

"And what makes you think you get any?" Atemu asked over his shoulder as he stood to tend the stove. "I didn't know you would be here. I only made enough for myself."

"Aren't you generous?" Yuugi drawled. Stretching his arms Yuugi stood from the chair and turned it back around, leaving the kitchen to retrieve the briefcase he'd abandoned in the living room. He took a seat in his beloved recliner and set the case in his lap, opening it in search of the forms he still needed to complete. He worked quietly until Atemu joined him, lunch in hand in a steaming bowl of the odd concoction of ingredients. Yuugi wasn't sure what to make of the spoon that appeared beneath his nose or the contents it held, but he eventually relented when Atemu refused to move until he tried the Koshary.

Chewing cautiously, Yuugi's eyes widened in surprise at the burst of flavors that occupied his mouth. "Wow, that's good," he said around his full mouth, the words barely discernable. He swallowed and looked over to Atemu, whom had taken a seat on the couch across from him and was grinning knowingly. "You're going to have to make that again sometime."

"We'll see," Atemu said, stirring the contents of his bowl before eating several spoonfuls. "How did your interview go today?"

"Oh, it was alright," Yuugi sighed, examining the application in front of him. "Dr. Hayashi's a great guy. He was my advisor in college, lucky for me."

Atemu nodded. "I would say so."

"Mm. Anyway, he's very influential when it comes to new hires and he doesn't see any reason why I can't be added on."

Atemu watched Yuugi carefully, taking a slow mouthful of his lunch. "But?" he eventually asked.

Yuugi groaned, lightly irritated at the situation. "But I was stupid and didn't go about this right. I had the opportunity to do a hell of a lot more student teaching than I did before graduating, and Dr. Hayashi thinks that my lack of experience may be the only thing that could hold me back."

"So what's the solution?"

At first Yuugi was perturbed that he wasn't being given the customary sympathy for his dilemma, but then he realized that Atemu's form of empathy was to solve the problem and he grinned, secretly pleased. "The solution is obvious, Até. I student teach."

Atemu chuckled. "And you talk as though this great road block has been placed before you."

"Don't you make this sound reasonable," Yuugi scolded, trying desperately to hide his good humor. "I was all prepared to be indignant about this."

"Where are you going to teach, then?" Atemu asked. "It sounds like you have an in at the university in town."

"Yeah, I suppose so," Yuugi said. He lowered his eyes to the floor. "I don't know. I mean, I want to teach, and at the university…"

"But?" Atemu again prompted.

"But…" Yuugi blew a sigh out his nose, glancing at Atemu from beneath his bangs. "What do you think about it?"

Atemu straightened his posture, surprised by the question. "Me?"

"Yeah, _you_. What do you think I should do?"

Narrowing his eyes, Atemu clinked his spoon against his now empty bowl, contemplating. He had the distinct impression there was far more to this than Yuugi looking for approval about the job and he voiced his opinion. "I'm not sure what question you're asking me, Yuugi."

Yuugi was quiet for a long moment before taking a deep breath and releasing it. He set his briefcase on the ground, to the side of the chair, and moved forward to the edge of the cushion, clasping his hands over his knees. He caught Atemu's gaze and held it, his own eyes softening as he allowed himself to repeat the honesty he'd been trying to nurture ever since he'd confessed his love to Atemu.

"I don't know what to do about you, Até," Yuugi admitted sincerely. "I feel like we're growing apart, and I feel it's something I'm doing, only I don't know what it is. I don't like it." He waited for a response but realized he was going to have to say more to get a reaction when Atemu turned his head to look at the wall. "I know we have our issues… But I thought we were beyond not talking about them. We don't talk at all anymore, not like we used to when we first met. I miss talking to you. I miss you telling me things." He bit his lip, anxious over his next words. "Are-… are you growing bored with me?"

This did get a reaction out of Atemu, a genuine look of regret pulling on his face when he turned to look at Yuugi again. "Oh, _no_, Heba. How could you ever think that?"

Yuugi sat back in his chair, pulling his feet to the cushion and pressing his knees into his chest. He turned his eyes away from Atemu's compassionate face, unable to look at him and say his next words. "It's what it feels like. This," he rolled his wrist in the air, "is what it always feels like right before…"

You might as well say it out loud, Yuugi thought to himself. He already knows.

"It's like right before I usually get tired of someone and ask them to leave. It feels like you're leaving, and I don't want you too. I _don't_." He said this last part quietly, the emotion behind it stealing his breath and forcing him to close his eyes against the strain.

Atemu's lips parted when he heard the pain in that voice, and he berated himself for making Yuugi feel the inadequacy he had been assigning to himself. How careless must he be if he was making Yuugi feel this way? How _dare_ he allow a man that took the time to love him feel this insecure about himself. But, god damn it, he really didn't know what to say or what he could do to reassure Yuugi that wouldn't be trite and dishonest. A sporadic kiss would be seen through; a hug would reveal his wounded pride; words would be awkward and unbelievable. There was really only one thing he could offer Yuugi that would be on the same level of trust and honesty that he'd been shown. It wasn't a difficult choice.

Atemu closed his mouth and licked his lips, rolling them as he creased his eyes in preparation. "Heba. Ask me a question."

Yuugi didn't understand at first the implication of the invitation. It wasn't until he looked at Atemu from the corner of his eyes that he realized that he was being allowed _any_ question, meaning that the door was open to whatever he wanted to know. He repeated Atemu's earlier response of having his lips part in surprise, only his eyes widened at the implication of what was being offered. His eyes stung with emotion and he had to swallow passed the enormity of Atemu's generosity.

There were so many things he could ask, so many answers he could finally uncover in the pursuit of truth or vanity or simple morbid curiosity. Just where are you from? 'Egypt' hardly answers that question. What about your family? Parents? Siblings? Relatives or friends of any kind that care you are here in Japan and not in Egypt? Do you ever call them, visit them? Why business? Is it what you enjoy or just what you're good at? What are your dreams? Likes, dislikes that you haven't told me? And why _are_ you in Japan anyway, because when I found you you certainly didn't seem happy to be here. Are you happy here now? What are your future plans? Do you see us together? _Do_ you?

Because I sure as hell do and it's tearing me apart.

Yuugi didn't ask any of these questions, or any of the dozen more that swirled in his head. None of the answers he would gain could possibly outshine the initial offer of vulnerability, and Yuugi found some of his insecurities waning because of it. Instead of voicing his gratitude he pushed himself off his chair and dove head first into Atemu, hiding his face in the other's chest and curling into his lap. He was unaware of the quick maneuver Atemu made to get his bowl out of the way, focusing on pressing his face into the strong neck before him and balancing his legs on and around Atemu's hips while wrapping his arms tightly around his chest. A harsh breath escaped him when Atemu grasped him in turn, rounding his shoulders and back to encase Yuugi as much as he was able, his head buried in Yuugi's hair with a hand on the back of his head.

"Thank you," Yuugi whispered, slight tremors causing his arms to shake and his breath to hitch in his throat. He relaxed when he felt Atemu nod in response and the arms around him tighten with thick emotion.

They didn't move for another half hour, until Atemu simply had to go back to the office.

* * *

Yuugi was in a rather cheerful mood on this Sunday afternoon, the sun present with a mild intensity that served to magnify the brilliance of the blue sky, lighting the world in vivid Technicolor. He was feeling poetic and had to refrain from allowing his thoughts to travel in metered rhyme around his head, though he was certain that the odd and possibly frightened looks he may have received from his mother and grandfather would have been well worth the sappiness he'd have to endure. As it was, he was perfectly content with his plan to go home, find his harmonica, and settle down to an afternoon of reminiscing in the worst notes he could find on the instrument.

Never had Yuugi imagined that spending an afternoon with his grandfather's girlfriend would be so fulfilling. The woman was a born gardener and without trepidation had enlisted the help of the young man the moment Yuugi'd appeared on her doorstep. Yuugi himself had never had much of a green thumb nor the desire to acquire one - the only gardening chore he'd ever held talent for had been raking the dead leaves – but had inexplicably discovered that he had an eye for arrangement and had spent the day assisting Sarah to rearrange the plants in her backyard. The work had been strenuous and he'd been forced to exert muscles that weren't used to doing more than lounging, and for that he was paying dearly with a persistent thudding ache that left a grin on his face. The dull pang that was constantly in his heart had been distracted with the physical labor and for that Yuugi was grateful. He'd needed a break from worrying over what Atemu was planning to do.

The woman was a pure delight to be with, but also had Sugoroku's nagging affinity to know when something was bothering Yuugi and the advanced years not to worry about propriety when asking after him. Yuugi had merely smiled and shrugged when asked if he was alright, preferring to focus on the Japanese honeysuckle that needed to be transplanted.

"Love is a fickle thing, isn't it?" Gina said in response to his silence. Yuugi distinctly heard the humor in her voice and instantly bristled.

"What're you on about over there?" he chided.

"Nothing!" Sarah sing-songed, which made Yuugi instantly abandon his plant, cross his arms, and glare harmlessly at her. "You have the air of a perturbed lover."

Yuugi chose the mature route and stuck out his tongue, brandishing his spade. "The only air about me is full of dirt, heat and sweat, thank you very much."

"So what did he do?" Sarah pressed, too amused to let the matter drop so easily. "Make you sleep on the couch? What line did you cross Yuugi?" She couldn't help the laughter that took over her voice at the image of Yuugi being kicked out of his own bed.

"_Sarah_," Yuugi groaned, covering his face despite the dirtied gloves he wore. "Could we _please_ avoid the topic of my sex life?"

Sarah gasped rather convincingly, bringing a hand to her chest. "You have one?! Does your mother know about this?"

Yuugi threw his head back and flung his arms behind himself imploringly. "Is there no peace for the wicked?" he asked the heavens.

Sarah conceded the moment, allowing her laughter to trickle out of her as she directed Yuugi where to place the honeysuckle. She'd heard about the family intervention that had taken place, how Atemu had completely broken down in the embrace of the three people who had become most dear in her own heart. Sarah had nearly come to tears when Sugoroku had recounted the event. She was so fond of Atemu, having bonded with the handsome man over the fact that both were outsiders to the Motou family, having fallen in love with one of its members. It was difficult to penetrate the coil that was Gina, Sugoroku, and Yuugi Motou, and having reinforcements was always a welcomed thing when the family would fall into dynamics that no outsider had a hope to understand. But with Atemu thrown into the mix, Sarah had found that infiltration had suddenly become assessable, if not an all too easy task. To hear that he'd experienced so much pain had troubled her greatly. The only saving grace of the whole ordeal, in her mind, had been Yuugi's painfully late – her opinion again – admission of loving the Egyptian.

"You told him you loved him," Sarah remarked quietly. She grinned when Yuugi paused his enthusiastic digging. "I'm glad to hear it. I'm sure he was too."

Yuugi kept his head lowered, eyes cast towards the dirt though he wasn't seeing it. "I dunno," he said, eventually pulling himself from his hands and knees to sit on his heels, his hands lying tensely on his thighs. "I thought he would be, but, oh I think he already knew." Yuugi scowled. "It's an annoying habit of his, knowing things before I do." Tightening his grip on his spade Yuugi raised his arm and stabbed the tool into the dirt, releasing it to stand on its own. "Why can't _I_ be the one to know these things and tell _him_ about it?"

Sarah smiled. "Don't worry too much about that Yuugi. This sort of thing shifts during a relationship. There'll be periods where he knows the answer, and there will be ones where you know it all. It's natural."

"Hmph."

"Now Yuugi," Sarah scolded lightly. She walked over to him and placed her hands on both his shoulders. "What's really bothering you?"

People asking me that, Yuugi wisely thought to himself. He took a deep breath and held it, rolling his head around his shoulders in an attempt to relieve some of his tension. "It's nothing, really," Yuugi said. He forced a smile on his face and looked at Sarah. "Stuff Atemu and I need to sort out, that's all. _Really_," he emphasized when Sarah raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'm fine and… and it's between us, okay?"

Sarah studied him for several moments before nodding, squeezing Yuugi's shoulders in support before stepping away and resuming her role as director by informing Yuugi that he had her sakura tree too close to the foundation.

That was one thing that had been bothering him, and was a recurring theme over the past few days. Though Yuugi had asked for help in breaking through to Atemu, he hadn't expected that help to proceed past the initial penetration. Gina and Sugoroku were a constant stream of advice on how best Yuugi could proceed in his relationship with Atemu. The fact that he'd never before committed himself to someone was a point that was often raised, and was used as leverage for the need of advice to be imparted unto him. Not to mention the attention he was receiving from Anzu and Jou, neither of them happy with his choice to cut Honda out of the group, both for their reasons. Yuugi had tried to explain that he wasn't putting any stipulations on their friendship, simply that he and Honda were not going to communicate anymore, but his friends refused to see the distinction and continued to sell to him why it was better to have Honda in his life other than out of it.

This didn't include the comments he'd received when he'd accidentally let it slip that he was in love with Atemu. Needless to say, Yuugi was tired of hearing what everyone thought about him and Atemu. The only person he _did_ want to hear from on the subject was being decidedly stubborn about sharing his opinion. And the longer he remained silent, the more fearful Yuugi became.

Yuugi clucked his tongue, pushing aside these tiresome thoughts as he opened the front door to his grandfather's game shop. The welcoming bell chimed with its old tune when he entered the room, and Yuugi felt a sense of peace now that he was home. He craned his neck over the shelves in search of his grandfather, a slight frown appearing when he wasn't able to immediately find him.

"Jichan?" he called out.

"Yuugi?" Sugoroku's voice came from the backroom and had a ring of urgency in it that soured Yuugi's stomach. When the elder man emerged and made his way around the counter towards him with an earnest expression Yuugi's apprehension doubled. "Thank goodness you're home."

"Jichan? What's going on?" Yuugi asked carefully, tilting his head to the side.

"Come here," Sugoroku said, taking hold of Yuugi's arm and guiding the young man to the landing in the back of the store, from where they could see into the backyard.

Realizing that he wasn't going to be answered Yuugi took it upon himself to figure out what was happening. Gently he freed his arm from his grandfather's hold and looked through the screen door that Sugoroku had so adamantly pointed towards. After a moment of observation he still didn't understand what he was looking at.

"Jichan, who are those men talking with Atemu?" Yuugi's voice was flat even in his own ears, but the emotion churning inside him didn't allow for much else.

"They," Sugoroku said with unhidden resentment, "are his family."

"His family," Yuugi repeated. "Huh."

"Yuugi?" Sugoroku ventured when his grandson didn't elaborate further. He was concerned about the situation before Yuugi had arrived, but now he found himself growing fearful of his grandson's tense and stoic silence, with his eyes burning out towards the three men standing in the backyard. The tone of the conversation did not appear to be genial if one could tell anything from volume and pitch. The facial expressions, the body language, and some of the wild gesticulations were dead giveaways. There was little else to go on, considering no explanation had been given by any of the men and the fact that all of them were speaking Arabic.

A loud shout followed by exasperation and quick and heated words caused both Yuugi and Sugoroku to jump, and any premonition that either man had had in regards to going out into the backyard and intruding on the argument – for there was no longer any doubt that that's what this was – was immediately quashed. Yuugi bit his lip, noticing the agitation in Atemu's profile, the defensive and submissive posture his body exuded, and yet the bite his voice held when he did deign to speak. He felt rage spread from his gut to his head and to his toes, wrapping around his heart and turning his heated gaze towards the men standing in front of Atemu, one much older than the other two, but both looking so much like his beloved. He didn't know what he was feeling, only that he didn't like it, and he was growing in his dislike of it the longer he stood and watched what to him looked like a trial. The urge to jump through the screen door and protect Atemu against… them…

Yuugi blinked in sudden realization. The answers to so many of his questions were standing in his backyard. Atemu's past, his pain, _what_ he had been running from, all of it - all of it congealed in his heart and his body inexplicably slackened from the strain. Sugoroku had to reach forward and steady him before he fell against the wall as the enormity of what was playing out before him struck his core. But what was he to do? Rush out and interfere? Offer Atemu support against his greatest foe? Or should he let Atemu fight his own battles? The man was incredibly strong and had grown so much since they'd first met. Another loud shout made him jump. Damn it, what was the _best_ thing to do?

"Yuugi? Are you alright? Yuugi?!"

"Ask me later Jichan," Yuugi said dryly, trying to swallow around a tongue that abruptly felt two sizes too big. "There're more important things to worry about right now."

Lord, what should he do?

* * *

_to be continued…_


	16. A Litany of Words

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: I love this chapter, and I hope you guys have a similar reaction. It was difficult to write, but I enjoyed writing it and am very pleased with the result. Let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

- Ocean

* * *

Mazin – Atemu's brother

Azzam – Atemu's dad (A and A to help keep it clear)

- Arabic for Determined, resolved

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Sixteen – A Litany of Words  
_

In his most humble opinion, Atemu was up shit creek due in no small part to his own efforts and he was getting nowhere fast.

He had been expecting some form of contact from his family ever since he'd received the letter from his brother, the one that had caused him to leave work early and storm home in the middle of the afternoon only to terrify Yuugi and send himself into another depressive spiral. There had been a moment of disbelief when the secretary had handed him the letter, for a moment Atemu forgetting the resourcefulness of his brother and how well the man knew his younger sibling. The surprise had passed quickly enough – of course Mazin would begin his search with the most successful business, he had taught his brother to aim high after all – and the mood evolved into one of hopeful dread. Hopeful dread that soon turned into raw anger as he'd read the words in his sibling's rapid scrawl.

"_He wants you home. Prepare yourself. – Mazin"_

The end of Mazin's signature jutted off in an awkward line, as though the writer had suddenly turned his attention and hadn't had the time to correct the error before sealing the envelope and mailing the letter. Atemu didn't know what he was to prepare _for_ seeing as how any further warning had been conveniently left out, but if he knew his father, then he'd better make damn sure he had all his affairs in order before Azzam Mahdi made his presence known because he wasn't going to be given a second chance to tie up loose ends.

This was the reason Atemu had tried to push Yuugi away, to make him see that holding on to the man he'd found so many weeks ago in a hotel was not worth the fireworks to come. He dearly wanted Yuugi to be happy, and he simply couldn't see a way that he could make that happen. Not now. At one time he was willing to believe that he and Yuugi had a future, but not anymore. Not so long as he had family ties that just couldn't be cut.

As things stood, Atemu had listened like the obedient child he'd been raised to be while his brother and father argued with each other in a manner that told him the words were old and stale. Neither had addressed him since their arrival in the game shop, Mazin having made the effort to learn enough Japanese to ask a dumbstruck Sugoroku where his brother was. Atemu himself had greeted his family with wide-eyed and jaw-dropping disbelief, guiding them into the backyard in a daze that had yet to leave him.

Mazin and Azzam suddenly turned to him in expectation, and as they continued to stare with uncomfortable scrutiny Atemu finally realized that he'd asked a question in Japanese instead of Arabic. The frown on his father's face informed him that this had not been a wise mistake. Clearing his throat nervously, Atemu repeated himself.

"What are you doing here, father? I… wasn't expecting to see you again." He bit his tongue sharply once he'd spoken, berating himself for the blasted hesitation that proved to everyone present that he would always be intimidated by his father.

Azzam, a tall man with potent black hair and beard and mustache, hard bark-colored eyes that would cut diamonds if they were in his path, broad shoulders that shadowed both his sons, closed his eyes in long-suffering torment and turned to address his eldest child. "You hear the way he speaks to his father?"

"He means no disrespect, I assure you. My brother was simply unprepared for our visit." Mazin kept his tone neutral, trying to prevent his father's temper from rising and also to keep Atemu from feeling as though there were two against him in this confrontation.

"A man is always prepared for his family," Azzam retorted. He turned sharply towards Atemu. "We _are_ your family."

"Of course you are!" Atemu said quickly.

"Despite what you've done to us."

Atemu was too busy reeling from the verbal slap to notice his brother's agitated – yet silent – groan at Azzam's words. "Father, _please_." It was as close to a reprimand as he dared.

Azzam looked at Mazin, fidgeting between the balls of his feet before relenting to his heir's firm gaze. "Very well," he conceded, straightening his spine after nodding curtly. He took a breath to calm himself as much as he was able, and then turned to face Atemu fully. His eyes traveled the length of Atemu's body in judgment. "I trust you are well?"

Atemu opened his mouth to speak but found himself hesitating again before lowering his eyes to the ground. "I am comfortable, father."

"I suppose that is a blessing," Azzam said with difficulty, making an effort to restrain his anger. "One member of the family should be." He ignored the fact that Atemu's shoulders rounded on themselves with his words and continued with his forced politeness. "You are eating well? Though I honestly don't see how you could be in this country."

"Yes."

"Your mother will be relieved, at least."

An awkward silence descended on the trio, each man antsy in silent turmoil and contemplation. For Atemu this situation was all too familiar, and in fact had been one of the main reasons he had fled to the airport, handed over most of his life's savings, and begged the woman behind the counter to buy him a ticket as far away from Egypt as possible. He'd been lucky enough to obtain a passport with little difficulty thanks mostly in part to his family's ignorance of his intent to obtain one. The woman had taken pity on him and had tried to choose a country where the young man would at least have a chance to succeed, other than merely survive. Atemu dared a glance at his brother, momentarily raising his shoulders and inclining his head to communicate his confusion and need for assistance. Mazin angled his eyebrows in response, but didn't do any more to aid him.

"Father…?" Atemu finally ventured, unable to take the strained silence any longer.

Shaken out of whatever thoughts he was entertaining Azzam answered, "You were blessed with a loyal sibling. All men should have such grace from Allah."

Mazin offered a smile to Atemu. "I wished to see my little brother again." _I told you I missed you_, he mouthed behind his father's back, smirking when he saw the hint of a smile on his sibling's lips, a smile that left all too quickly.

Azzam was not amused with the answer his eldest provided. "Mazin informed me to the conversation the two of you had before I entered the room," he said, alluding to the phone call home Atemu had made while Yuugi'd been in Hawaii, "and I have been made to see that perhaps I have-… there may be another solution. _If_ you are willing to be reasonable."

Atemu's features fell into a frown. He didn't like the implication of what his father considered to be reasonable.

"Please, just listen," Mazzin begged his brother, raising placating hands when he sensed Atemu's defenses rise and his stubbornness leak to the surface of his temperament. "It cannot hurt to listen."

Atemu eventually nodded his head, but it was a shaky movement that belied his suspicion.

"Return home with us," Azzam said. "We will welcome you. However!" he said when Atemu's eyes widened in shock to curb his son's excitement. "However, there is much damage to be undone. You must go through the necessary customs to help the family reestablish its position."

Atemu couldn't believe his ears. Was he really hearing this? From his _father_? The man whose last words to him had been shouted in such anger and vilification and hatred and had informed him that he had been disowned in the most disgraceful way possible? And now, that same man was welcoming him back home? Even if the invitation was stained with stipulation. It was overwhelming to hear those words, and the pain, grief, and encompassing passion to see his homeland again, to be welcomed into the house of his birth and the arms of his mother, was enough to nearly send him to his knees in humble tears. Forget everything else that had happened in his life. He was being given the opportunity to go _home_. He still had a home, somewhere he belonged, a place he came from.

Home.

Atemu's lips pulled back tightly against his teeth and his eyes creased as he tried to keep them open despite their eagerness to close and give in to the torrent of emotions in his heart. He continuously shook his head in small movements of disbelief, his hands fisting and opening repeatedly against his sides.

Mazin took pity on his brother, his own heart aching to see Atemu struggle with himself. The grief he'd heard in his brother's voice over the phone had been enough to keep him awake at night for days, his wife's gentle hands and soft words unable to purge the thoughts of isolation his sibling was experiencing, in no small part due to Mazin's own selfish pride. He'd prayed for his brother to find peace in his heart; for his father and mother to let go of their anger and call Atemu home to them, for himself to find understanding of his brother's ways and the wisdom to reason a solution to his family's turmoil.

Walking forward and putting an arm around Atemu's shoulders, his other hand pressing against the shoulder closest to him, Mazin hugged his brother with sibling comfort. "Compose yourself, little river," he hushed, using the term of endearment to prove to Atemu his sincerity. The brothers both adored the Nile, but Mazin held it in esteem that could not be matched except by his adoration of his brother, and the nickname had naturally occurred. He leaned down and put his lips to his brother's ear, pretending to be giving him a kiss to hide the words he whispered from their father. "You didn't think I'd abandoned you did you?"

Atemu couldn't help it and hated himself for it, but a quiet sob escaped him, for that was exactly what he'd believed. And though his heart was overcome with sensations of love and fear and the impending future, his mind was beginning to wake to the possibility that all was not as it seemed.

"Why?" Atemu asked without realizing the hard voice he heard was his own.

Azzam's voice was gruff with near embarrassment at what he was about to say. "You're brother is wise beyond his years, and it is time that your mother came out of mourning. And…" he added at the stern look Mazin gave him, "and… and your _family_ needs you."

Atemu felt Mazin's hands grip his shoulders and he knew that his father hadn't said what he was supposed to have said, which in all honesty didn't surprise him, even in his emotional state. But that little part of his brain that wasn't entirely convinced of the sincerity rebelled again and took control of his tongue without his permission.

"But you still haven't told me what it is you expect me to do."

Atemu ran his tongue along his top teeth and sucked. He fully blamed this defiant streak of his on Yuugi. Still, now that he had voiced the question, his curiosity was piqued and he increasingly wanted to know the answer. He didn't pull away from his brother's embrace, however, still not secure enough to stand on his own against his father and face what wrath might come.

"I would think that would be obvious," Azzam said, bristling against his son's flaring insolence.

Mazin felt Atemu's body tense and his eyes widened in surprise. He squeezed his brother again, trying to signal him to calm down and remember himself. "Stop it," he said quickly, and with more harshness than he'd intended. He flinched when Atemu's eyes shot to him, and it wasn't because of the irritation he saw, the defiance, or the speed of the movement. It was something else entirely that he'd always suspected his brother possessed but never thought would emerge.

"You'll have to excuse me, father, but as you've told me many times I was not blessed with great intelligence," Atemu said while still eyeing his brother, daring him to interrupt again. "I'll have to ask for more specific direction."

There was no way Azzam was going to tolerate such a belligerent comment, especially not from the son that had so disgraced him. "That has always been your problem! You do not know your place! How dare you speak to your father in such a tone? I have had enough your foolishness. I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for Mazin!"

Atemu knew that to be an outright lie because of the letter his brother had sent him. The fear of reprisal for his unwillingness to subject himself to his father's will morphed into a frantic rush of energy that made him take all leave of his senses, forgetting propriety for the poignant and frightened response. He shook himself free of his brother's now restraining hold and stepped towards his father.

"I _knew_ my place but it wasn't enough! It was never enough for you! _I_ was never enough for you!" Atemu extended an arm to his side and pointed at Mazin. "When will you understand that I am not him and _never can be_? I cannot measure up to the perfection you hold him to!"

"That's because you never try!" Azzam returned with equal fervor. "You're a selfish child Atemu Mahdi, you always have been. You don't give any consideration to your family or anyone else!"

Atemu gaped at his father before throwing his hands up in the air and turning as he walked a few steps away, showing the ultimate insult to Azzam by presenting his back to him. He continued to pace, crossing his arms painfully tight around his chest as though they were some kind of armor, hysterical giddiness building in his stomach with the knowledge that he had just destroyed any chance he'd had of going home because of his damned mouth. He wanted to laugh and cry, scream himself hoarse in frustration. All he managed to do was take fistfuls of hair and pull, successfully tearing out a few strands.

"Atemu what are you doing?!" Mazin asked with rushed, clipped words. "This is your chance to come home! I thought that's what you wanted? Was it a lie?"

Atemu reeled on his brother, the only outlet safe enough to explode against. "No it wasn't a lie! But don't you see Mazin? The way he looks at me? I'm not _good_ enough. Dammit, stop that!" he shouted, stomping his foot – not childishly, but in pure anger and futility – when Mazin spread his hands and agitatedly rolled his eyes. "You cannot tell me you are so blind as to not see it?!"

"Your waters run swiftly today, little river," Mazin sighed, though the nickname did not hold near the endearment it had earlier. "You are emotional and are unaware of what you say."

"_You_ are unaware of all you do not wish to see," Atemu retorted. "Makes life easier to live in the clouds, does it?"

"Silence, both of you!" Azzam roared, effectively bringing his sons' attention to him, though it did take a moment for the two men to quit glaring at each other first. "I've had enough of this. Mazin," he said, turning towards his eldest son, "do not lower yourself to him and waste your words. _Atemu_," he emphasized his displeasure, "you stop this foolishness at once and come home. You will come home and you will marry the girl your mother and I have found for you and you will have many children and that is the end of it." He fumed when Atemu opened his mouth to disagree. "I will hear no arguments! My decision is final. You have a responsibility to your family and you will take that responsibility even if I have to beat it into you."

Atemu didn't hesitate; fear induced bravado took control. "You'll have to because I-"

_Smack!_

The sound echoed in his ears, joining with the stinging pain against his jaw as his hand flew to his face to cover the reddening skin. Eyes unfocused and downcast, Atemu was instantly reverted into the small little boy who had been beaten on a semi-regular basis for not living up to his family's expectations, made to feel inferior and incompetent for his inabilities. Mazin stood stoically by his side, eyes distant, showing not disgust for his father's action, but rather pity for his brother for invoking the punishment. Azzam was shaking in his rage, eyes wild and glued on his youngest son.

"You will come home and do as we tell you," Azzam repeated, his voice rough from his shouting. "I will have my son, and I will have my grandsons, and that is the end of it. The end of this… this debauchery."

"I'm gay," Atemu said weakly. He didn't know what made him say it; he didn't feel any better for it, but there it was.

"You are not," Azzam insisted. "You never were. You can stop the game because no one believes you."

"Come brother," Mazin said, reaching a hand towards Atemu. "We will help you be happy again. So we can all be happy again. You are alone here in this country. Who here would have you? Come home where you belong. Mother is anxious to see you."

"A woman is waiting for you," Azzam continued, sensing his victory the longer Atemu remained silent with eyes downcast and a hand covering his cheek. The fight had obviously left him. "Take comfort in her arms. It is the proper way. Come, do as your loving father and brother tell you. Come."

Atemu felt the stinging, salty tears push against the back of his eyes. As much as he wanted to go home, he didn't want to go home like _this_, but… but he was so tired, and homesick, and lonely for the acceptance of his family that he didn't know how to resist. It wasn't that the fight had left him. The fight had simply been cornered, alone and feeling helpless to repel an oppression that was sure to kill his spirit in time, slowly, bit by painful bit until all that was left was an obedient shell.

Perhaps he hadn't grown as much as he'd thought during his time with Yuugi. He'd fooled himself into believing that he was stronger, even healed to a small degree, but here in the backyard he was revealed to be the helpless child that he was. If he was only strong, or only felt that he was strong, when Yuugi was around to protect him from himself, then what was the point? That wasn't true strength. It wasn't even close. And false strength, false confidence and pride born out of complete dependence on another disgusted him far more than consciously choosing to return home and do as his family wished of him.

He was in love with Yuugi. Loved him more than anything in the world. But that love could not overcome the faults Atemu saw in himself, the cracks that splintered and stretched and destroyed his very belief in himself. It wasn't enough.

A few tears escaped his efforts to restrain them, trailing down his face and curving around the edge of his hand.

Love just wasn't enough to save him. And that was the true defeat.

* * *

When the conversation had faded and the three men stood huddled together at the far end of the yard, muted and isolated in a way that far transcended the fence that surrounded them, Yuugi walked through the screen door on the landing and made his way to them. He didn't hurry or try to keep himself from being noticed, nor did he make any special attempts to be loud and bombastic. With quiet solemnity he strode, arms crossed loosely over his chest but his hands tightly gripping his arms, head lowered not in submission but in respectful thought. He walked around the older man who paid him no mind and came to stand behind Atemu, turning around so he could see the man's back when he finally lifted his head. He acknowledged the man holding onto Atemu with a nod.

"Atemu?"

"_Chnu_?" Atemu moaned, his voice distant with fatigue and defeat. Yuugi only had to hear that single word to know the damage that had been done and he kicked himself for allowing it to happen before his eyes.

"They're your family?" He made sure to keep his voice low and non-threatening, especially since he now had the other men's full attention. Atemu nodded, lowering the hand from his face and letting his arms fall lifelessly to his sides. "I see." Yuugi chewed on his tongue for a moment before asking if they understood Japanese, for some reason not surprised that they didn't. The audacity to come into his home and scream at Atemu they way they had, Yuugi hadn't believed they'd have the decency to attempt to learn the language of the country they were visiting.

Yuugi didn't need Atemu or his mother or grandfather to explain to him what was going on. It wasn't as though he hadn't seen the vile nature of those who were homophobic and righteous in their cause to destroy those who were homosexual or thought themselves to be. Atemu's behavior over the past week suddenly made a hell of a lot of sense to him, and he found he was easily able to forgive most of the treatment he'd received. The only thing he wasn't ready to forgive was Atemu's refusal to tell him that his family was coming. He couldn't fathom why it had been kept a secret. Of course now wasn't the time to confront him about it, but it wasn't a matter Yuugi was going to allow to go unchallenged. Besides, that fear that had been chewing on his nerves had collected itself into the pit of his stomach and was idly laying in wait, as though the source for it had been found and it was waiting for further instruction.

"Would you translate something for me?" Yuugi asked.

Atemu didn't respond in any way, shape or form for several moments before raising his arms, palms up, in the universal sign of _whatever_. When his brother asked what was going on he gave the edited reply of Yuugi wanting him to translate. He didn't bother to explain who Yuugi was and this did little to improve himself in his family's eyes.

"Okay," Yuugi said, breathing to gather his thoughts and his nerves. "First, would you tell them… I mean, would you introduce me first? That would only be right."

Atemu gave a long suffering sigh before speaking quickly in his native tongue, pointing behind himself with an extended arm at Yuugi when he spoke his Japanese name, then gesturing with a bit more restraint towards his father and brother, providing their names and their relationship to him. He then resumed his resolute stare at the ground, waiting for Yuugi to speak.

Yuugi's brows furrowed in concern at Atemu's clipped behavior, noting that the man was acting as though his personality had been switched off like a light. What an overbearing presence his brother and father must have to make him wither so in their shadows. Well, there was nothing left now but to move forward, he supposed. He didn't have any reason to fear them as of yet.

"Would you tell them that I hope their flight over was good and that if they need anything while they're here that I'll help them, as will mom and grandpa?" Yuugi waited while Atemu gave his unenthusiastic translation, watching as Mazin gazed at himself with a bit more approval than before, but noticing Azzam's increasing scrutiny. "Do they have a place to stay?"

Mazin answered this question with far more words than the "Yes" Atemu gave him. It was apparent he wasn't going to be receiving any help from the man, and that not only was he going to be speaking to his family, but he was going to have to speak to Atemu as well. He swallowed reflexively at the pressure of the situation and the implications should he misspeak. But if this was possibly going to be the only time he would meet Atemu's family, Yuugi wasn't about to do anything other than be himself.

"And would you ask them to kindly keep their voices down when they're attacking you? We really don't need to give the neighbors anything to talk about."

Atemu began to repeat the words but hesitated, suddenly realizing exactly what Yuugi was asking him to say. It was too late to stop though, so he quickly adlibbed something that sounded more like a request for restraint as opposed to the first lines of an attack. A smile tugged at the corner of Yuugi's mouth; at least he had Atemu's attention now.

Azzam's eyes narrowed as Atemu spoke, and he gave his own reply with a gesture towards Yuugi. Atemu followed the movement with his head, keeping it turned so both his father and Yuugi could only see his profile. "My father wishes to know who you are to think…" he paused, frowning and casting a disapproving gaze to Azzam before relenting to his father's forceful nod. "He wants to know why you think you have any right to comment on our family affairs."

"I don't," Yuugi said, pleased when Atemu didn't immediately translate his words. "But so long as he's in my house he will conduct himself accordingly, and we do not stand outside and scream at our loved ones, nor do we strike them. I would suspect he'd demand the same respect to be shown in his own home."

Yuugi had no way of knowing if Atemu translated his message word for word, but he sincerely doubted it when Azzam didn't react with the level of indignation he'd expected from him. The man wasn't pleased, certainly, but Yuugi suspected that Atemu had gotten his main point across about respecting another man's home and that Azzam reluctantly agreed. A few moments later Atemu proved as much with his father's answer.

Yuugi nodded at Azzam, indicating his forgiveness and willingness to move on to the next point. "As for who I am, I'm just a man who is in love with his son. I think that gives me a hell of a lot of right to know what is going on, especially when they're _hitting_ you in front of me."

Atemu looked at him silently over his shoulder, though his eyes revealed nothing of what he was feeling. Eventually he shook his head, blinking against Yuugi's words. "Yuugi, that will make no difference with them. In fact that'll only make it worse. We don't need to bring their attention onto you. You don't want that."

"If it'll take some of the pressure off you it's worth it," Yuugi said with determination.

"_No it isn't_!" Atemu spat, causing Yuugi to stiffen with agitation. "This has nothing to do with you." He turned to look at his father, anger bubbling to the surface of his expression. "It all started the day I was born."

"Then stop it," Yuugi said. "Don't let it continue."

Atemu didn't get the chance to say whatever choice words had formed on his tongue because Mazin suddenly barked at him, releasing his grip from his sibling's shoulders and moving into a position where he could posture at Yuugi. He spoke in a manner that could only be deliberate, and Yuugi's defenses rose when the man's stance didn't change despite Atemu's denial of what had been said.

"Damn it, Yuugi, would you just go?" Atemu said, throwing his hands into the air in frustration and in an attempt to subtly gain Mazin's attention. "You being here is only making it worse."

"No way," Yuugi said while he lowered his arms, freeing them for what might be coming. "I'm not leaving you alone with them."

"I can handle my own family _Yuugi_."

"_No_ you can't!"

The shout surprised everybody, and everyone stopped taking the small steps towards each other to stare at Yuugi expectantly. Yuugi felt the need to take a step back and distance himself from the family in front of him but restrained from doing so, instinct alerting him that the act would only weaken his position. He tried to corral his anger and put it to better use by pleading with Atemu to see reason.

"_Please_, Até, let me be here for you. You've been hiding from me all week and I can't take it anymore! This is my one chance to be your support and I'm not going to give it up so you can save face! Look what they're doing to you. They're killing you!"

Atemu gasped at this last phrase, and Yuugi jumped on the opportunity to reach the man he loved. "You don't know how you look right now. The fire in your eyes… it's gone. Not just dimmer, but _gone_. It's like your spirit's just vanished." He took a step forward, reaching out his hand to place it on Atemu's bicep, trying to be mindful of the fact that any action more intimate may escalate the situation out of control. "It hurts to see you standing here so-! … so _broken_! And there isn't a fucking thing I can do about it to help you because you won't let me! Do you have _any_ idea how that feels?"

"That's because there _isn't_ anything you can do about this," Atemu returned, a little too loudly. "You can't wave a magic wand and undo a lifetime! You can't make these people not my family, you can't make me wish they _weren't_ my family, and you can't change their minds simply because you want to!" Atemu roughly shook himself free of Yuugi's grip and pointed at him. "When will you get it through your head that you aren't the answer to everyone's problems?!"

The words stung like an elongated paper cut and Yuugi shrunk away from them. No one was able to hurt him as deeply as Atemu, and this fact only served to prove to him how much he loved the Egyptian. "I don't want to solve everyone's problems," he said quietly with his eyes downcast. He was finding it increasingly difficult not to cry, out of anger, frustration, fear and hurt combined. "Not anymore," and he was shocked to find the admission to be true. He looked up at Atemu imploringly, pleading with him to see the honesty of his words. "I just want to love you."

Atemu stared at him with wide eyes and opened mouth.

"I… just want to love you. That's all I want. And I _do_."

"Heba…" Atemu choked, his features falling into that of pained despair.

And that was the slip in Atemu's façade that Azzam had been waiting for.

* * *

Atemu turned to his father when the man spoke in his low authoritative tone, his wide eyes once full of shock now filled with fear. Yuugi instantly interpreted the shift and took a step closer to Atemu in an unconscious gesture of protection. He could not have made a worse move.

"Atemu!" Azzam said through gritted teeth. His hands were fisted at his sides and he split his glare between his son and the insolent man that stood behind him. "Don't tell me that you took your sin with you when you ran away from us like a coward!"

Atemu began shaking his head in denial, willing with all his might that his father had not made the connection he knew he had. "Father, please, you mustn't-"

"How dare you!" Azzam shouted, loosing his temper completely. "Must you spread our shame worldwide before you are satisfied? And with this _foreigner_ of all people? You couldn't even choose someone of your own race?"

Atemu's eyes narrowed at the insult, a spark of rebellion flaring at the attack on Yuugi. "What difference does it make who he is? I thought the fact that he's male was all you cared about?"

"Brother be reasonable!" Mazin interrupted, stepping up beside him and ignoring the irritating Japanese man. "Do not lower yourself any further by feigning ignorance. The situation was bad enough back home when you tried to engage in these unholy relationships. Do you really not see how much worse it is that you continued to do so outside our homeland?"

"I didn't continue anything," Atemu said quickly in his own defense. "I keep telling you this is who I am. I cannot be at fault if the two of you are unwilling to listen!"

"We will not listen to your lies," Azzam said. "I raised you to be an honest man and yet you insist on continuing with these lies."

"What I feel is not a lie father. You will never convince me of that."

This time it was Mazin who struck his brother, much too fast for either Atemu or Yuugi to prevent the action. Yuugi, not knowing the topic of the conversation – even though he had a pretty damn good guess – was knocked dumb with horror, unable to move. Mazin held his hand as though it were a possessed being that he did not recognize, his breaths coming in short, harsh gasps.

Azzam looked proud.

Atemu didn't bother to raise a hand to his stinging cheek, keeping his head exactly at the angle it had been forced to.

"See how hard your brother fights for you?" Azzam said, his voice having lowered in confidence. "Do you see how unjustly loyal he is to you that he is willing to beat you if that's what it takes to save you from your foolish choices?" He took a deep breath that expanded his chest and held himself tall. "Now, stop this phase you are going through and abandon the child and come home where you belong. There is no need for us to quarrel like this."

Atemu cursed at Yuugi to be quiet when the younger man ventured to mention his name, not having the energy to deal with him and his family simultaneously. Mercifully Yuugi got the message and closed his mouth, though he didn't back away and he certainly didn't hide the enraged look on his face. _That_ was loyalty, Atemu thought. Not this conditional shit that his father expressed, but Yuugi's determination to stand by his side despite having been told that he wasn't wanted or needed there.

"I agree, father," Atemu said quietly. "I must stop this phase I am going through, have been going through my whole life. No good will come unless I do." He lifted his head, eyes closed, before slowly opening them and leveling a look at his father that made the elder man scowl in defense. "It is time for us to part ways."

"Atemu-"

"Permanently," Atemu interrupted his brother. Sadness ate at him like a ravenous scavenger having discovered fresh meat, and he knew that if he didn't keep speaking and get this over with he was forever going to be caught in the cage his family had built around him. "We are never going to agree, and there is no point in us continuously hurting each other like this. I love you and will always love you, but _this_ is who I am, and that's never going to be good enough for you."

"Think of what you're saying!" Mazin begged, after having to try several times to get his mouth to work for him.

Atemu turned on his brother, the tears behind his eyes making them shimmer with redness in the afternoon light. "You think I say this lightly Mazin? You think I don't understand the consequences?"

"You are so willing to abandon your homeland?" Azzam insisted.

"She abandoned _me_," Atemu said with all the emotion he had stored since he'd fled Egypt those long months ago.

A tense moment of silence enveloped them, during which Yuugi walked forward and put both his hands on Atemu's shuddering, heaving form while the man stared down his family, his past and his future. His movement caught Azzam's eye and the elder man, irrational in the anger that boiled in his brain, made to lash out at him physically, Yuugi representing all that was shameful in the name of homosexuality in his eyes. Never did he expect that not only would Atemu be quick enough to block his attack, but that his son would have the nerve to interfere with his father at all. From the look in his son's eyes as they watched each other, nose to nose because of the thwarted attack and Atemu's painful grip on his wrist, Azzam realized that his son was ready to strike down his own father in defense of this foreign brat that shared his sin.

He wanted absolutely no part of it.

Breaking free of his son he turned his back on him, signaling his dismissal. "You are solely responsible for your mother's grief. It will be her death. Come Mazin. We no longer business here." Those were the last words Atemu ever heard his father speak.

Mazin didn't initially hesitate, childhood training him to jump when his father used that tone. But indignation caused him to pause when he was halfway across the yard. He knew what this meant, and he knew the responsibility he was going to endure because of it, and a hatred for his brother he never fully appreciated welled to the surface and forced him to turn around.

"You brought this upon yourself," he said bitterly.

Atemu nodded. "I did, brother. And I take responsibility. But do you, for the role you played?"

Mazin clenched his teeth together. "I am a man. Of course I do." After a moment he sighed, deflated, and closed his eyes. "You realize I will not be able to contact you lest I receive the same fate?"

Atemu lowered his eyes to the grass at his feet, the impending loss pulling on him like gravity. "I do," he whispered. "And I would give anything to make it not so."

Fighting against his training, his beliefs, and his emotions, Mazin decided to follow in his brother's footsteps if only for a moment and retraced his steps to his side, looking at him with saddened adoration.

"I will not be able to speak your name or acknowledge your existence but…" He gave in and pulled his brother into a fierce hug. "I will miss my little river."

Atemu clung to Mazin tightly, desperate not to let go of his final moment of belonging to his brother. "I'm frightened, brother."

"As am I," Mazin said, finding himself unwilling to relinquish his hold. "Perhaps one day, when father is no longer burdened with this world…" He let the thought trail off into the possibility of the future, squeezing Atemu one last time before roughly shoving him away. It was the only way he could let go. He turned and made it to the steps of the porch, able not to turn around at the pained sound he heard, but unable to keep himself from looking over his shoulder one final time.

"I hope he is worth it, brother."

Atemu shook his head. "You still don't understand. I didn't do this for him."

Mazin nodded slowly before opening the screen door and walking inside, out of sight.

Atemu, overwhelmed with the enormity of what had just happened, still wasn't able to allow himself to give in to the grief that was squeezing his heart with frightening intensity. He could feel Yuugi walk towards and reach for him, and it took all his concentration to step away from the hug Yuugi was trying to begin. Because this wasn't the end of things, and as far as he was concerned, the situation was only going to get worse from here.

* * *

_to be continued_…

_Chun_ – Arabic for 'What'


	17. Departure from the Norm

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: I've only had a chance to read through this chapter twice, and so there may be a few more typos than usual and for that I apologize. I really like most of this chapter… the end might be a little weak (eek!) but I hope it isn't too bad. I'll give the same word of advice I did in chapter seventeen of Fly Away Home:

Trust me.

Enjoy!

Ocean

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Seventeen – Departure from the Norm_

Yuugi bit his lip and furrowed his brows in sympathy. It was obvious that Atemu's family had just walked out of his life, leaving him behind in a foreign country to fend for himself without their support. He didn't have to understand their words to know that much. He _had_ felt an odd mixture of jealousy and envy when Atemu's brother had hugged him, the embrace showing the intimacy the two men shared as siblings of the same household, of a lifetime of living side by side. It only proved to Yuugi how far he still had to travel in order to be connected to Atemu. Sure, the man loved him and allowed physical intimacy, but any notion Yuugi had had that he was emotionally close to him was thoroughly obliterated by that one hug between brothers.

He was kicking himself for coming out in the yard to begin with, but he just couldn't restrain himself any further when he saw the fight leave Atemu as his body had rolled in on itself and he'd refused to react when his father had struck him. At that moment Yuugi had known with his whole heart that if he _didn't_ intervene, that the fear he'd had of Atemu leaving him was going to become a stark reality. And now, looking at Atemu's back as the man had yet to turn and acknowledge him, Yuugi knew this was still a distinct possibility. In hindsight, he'd been stupid. He hadn't improved his situation at all. He'd probably made it worse.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. He crossed his stomach with his arm and held onto his elbow, nervously running his hand around the joint. He wasn't expecting a response. He was just so full of conflicting emotions that he needed to begin releasing some of them so he wouldn't explode. "I didn't mean to make it worse."

Atemu eventually rolled his head along his shoulders, jerking his shoulder around and sighing through his nose. "I know Yuugi," he said distractedly. He knew he needed to focus on the conversation at hand but he was having an extremely difficult time pulling himself out of the fight with his family, even for a moment. _This_ time the break had been his idea, and he couldn't decide if he was satisfied with the decision. He'd thought that if he were the one to instigate the family break-up that the pain would be less than when his father had denounced him, but as the minutes passed he was discovering that he'd been horribly wrong.

"Do… you want me to leave?" Yuugi asked, increasingly insecure with Atemu's lack of attention.

Atemu shrugged unconvincingly. "No, you don't need to." He clucked his tongue and finally turned to face Yuugi, placing a hand on his hip and shifting his weight onto one leg. "Well, now you know."

"Know?"

"Yeah. Now you know my big secret."

Yuugi shook his head in confusion, releasing his arms and bending them at his sides in question. "What, that your family doesn't like you or something?"

"Don't play dumb," Atemu snapped, twisting his neck to the side to glare at the alley. "It goes far beyond them not _liking_ me." He said the word with such distaste that his face scrunched up around it. "Being disowned hardly signifies _dislike_."

Yuugi was getting angry at the way Atemu was talking to him and he let it show in the tone of his voice. "That's not what it looked like to me. It looked to _me_ like you were the one to throw _them_ out, not the other way around."

The enraged eyes that met him nearly made Yuugi choke on his tongue.

"Then you _are_ stupid," Atemu seethed. He lowered his hand from his hip and held it stiffly against his side, mirroring the position of its twin. "You honestly believe I wanted to cut myself off from my family? That knowing I'll _never_ see them again, talk to them again, know if they're even alive or dead is something to be proud of?!"

Yuugi's lips pulled back in a snarl and he matched Atemu's rigid body language, a storm raging in his blue eyes. "I'm doing my damnedest to be supportive and keep my temper in check because I know you're hurting but I'm not going to much longer if you keep lashing out at me like this. I know I've screwed up but I don't deserve to be treated as though I'm your enemy!"

"Who _else_ am I going to yell at?!" Atemu demanded. "I don't _have_ anyone else!"

And with that proclamation both men instantly lost their anger in the realization of how true those words were. Atemu's rigidness melted off of him like wax, and he would have fallen on his face at the shock of his own words had Yuugi not rushed forward and caught him, holding him as if letting go would mean the end of the world. He didn't return the embrace, hanging limp, immersed in the sadness, fear and regret that broke free from their prison and flooded him like a clogged gutter. Yuugi didn't care though – he was holding on tight enough for both of them, staggering a little due to the taller man's weight but determined not to let him fall.

Yuugi pushed his face into Atemu's neck and kept it there. "God Atemu," he murmured, his own tears leaking passed clenched lids. "Don't say that, please don't say that, please…" He shook his head against the mournful cry he felt tear through Atemu's body before passing through his lips, standing back and shaking Atemu for all he was worth. "Don't say that! You aren't alone!"

The shaking finally got through to Atemu and he raised his hands to cover Yuugi's on his shoulders, reeling from the headache the motion and his emotions had given him. He nodded shakily, keeping his eyes locked with Yuugi's while he swallowed and attempted to pull himself together. Licking his dry lips, he said, "But I'm not happy."

Yuugi's heart broke. "I know, I know you aren't, no one would be, but we'll make it better." He cupped Atemu's cheeks, interrupting the flow of tears that were silently streaming from the other man's eyes. "_We'll_ fix this, alright? We'll carry on." He felt his hands go numb when Atemu sadly shook his head.

"No, Yuugi," he said, his voice confident but soft, underlined by hurt. "That's not what I meant." He took hold of the hands on his face and rubbed his thumbs along Yuugi's knuckles before removing them from his cheeks and interlacing their fingers and holding them to his chest. He looked at Yuugi imploringly, begging him to understand what he was saying.

"I haven't been happy for a long time. And it's not because of you," he interjected at the hurt that flashed through Yuugi's eyes. "It's because of _me_. I thought I had changed, but I haven't, not nearly as much as I need to." He brought their clasped hands to his lips so he could press them against Yuugi's fingers in desperate kisses, his eyes closing against the strain. "I hate myself Heba, I do I do I do. And that isn't going to change unless I do something drastic to make it happen."

Yuugi swallowed thickly around his dry and swollen tongue, trying to keep the sobs that were choking his chest from bouncing up his throat. "You _are_ leaving me." He did sob when Atemu pressed harder kisses to his hands as his answer. "No… please, you don't have to do this! I don't care about your family! Or anything else that's happened! We can get through this! We can-…" He broke off, knowing the futility of his efforts when Atemu didn't react to his outburst in any way other than kissing his hand again.

"Heba, Heba, Heba," Atemu whispered, keeping his lips against Yuugi's skin so he could draw strength from the love of his life. "I need to. I need to prove this to myself, do this on my own. It's the only way I'll ever believe…"

Yuugi waited for something else to be said, knowing it was in vain but praying for it nonetheless. But Atemu didn't say any more, only kept his head bowed and his mouth pressed against Yuugi's hands, strength and emotion finally spent. Yuugi gently pulled his hands free and walked backward, turning around to face the house and throw his arms in the air before wrapping them around his stomach. That damned wall had erected around Atemu again, blocking him out and making it clear that the Egyptian's mind was not going to change. Yuugi spent a few minutes trying to come up with something to say that would keep Atemu with him, eventually lowering his head in defeat when no brilliant strategy presented itself.

"I'll wait for you," Yuugi said. And he meant it, with every fiber of his being.

"Don't, Yuugi," Atemu said with no hint of harshness. "I don't want you to waste your life waiting for me. I don't know how long this is going to take."

Yuugi turned on his heel, gazing at Atemu over his shoulder, before turning to face him fully. "You told me the other day that I could ask you a question. Does that still apply?"

"Yes."

"Do you love me?"

Atemu lowered his gaze and his head to the side, watching the ground before blinking slowly and meeting Yuugi's eyes again. "I do."

"Then I'll wait for you," Yuugi said matter-of-factly. "Because I sure as hell love you."

Atemu raised a single finger in front of his face and looked sternly at Yuugi. "One year."

Yuugi nodded in agreement. "No longer than a year." But in his heart, he knew he'd wait a lifetime for Atemu to come back to him, because without ever meaning too he had gone and fallen in love in a way he had never acknowledged existed.

And it was beautiful.

* * *

Early morning dawned with the sluggishness of a lazy dog being forcefully roused from its bed. The colors of the sunrise had yet been able to break through the gray clouds of the coastal mist and left a haze of calmness that seeped into the bones of every citizen. It was brisk and chilly outside, which was refreshing to those trying to wake for the day, but not so much for those who wanted nothing more than to roll over and go back to sleep. And particularly in one apartment, where the window had been brazenly allowed to remain open during the evening, the cold was not a welcomed visitor.

It had been seven months since Yuugi had moved into his own apartment, made possible in part by his new job as an assistant to a professor of mathematics at Domino University and his family's desire to see him move on with his life. Not that Yuugi staying in one place for nine months wasn't a dramatic change in itself, but seeing the young man idling around the house the two months following Atemu's departure without any real drive or ambition worried Gina and Sugoroku to the point that 'kicking' him out on his own had seemed like the best viable form of support. Yuugi hadn't put up too much of a protest and, once he walked into the third floor apartment, had been eager to get out from beneath his family's roof. He had been much more cheerful ever since.

Yuugi woke quite suddenly from his prone position on the living room floor, one of the couch cushions under his head as a pillow, when he felt the distinct jab in his stomach from a foot tripping over him, pulling him over onto his side. He cursed, or attempted to, the word slurring out of his mouth as an effect of the night's activities, and resorted to throwing the cushion at the back of his blond friend in retaliation. "Watch your feet dumbass."

"'_Scuse_ me, but nature's calling and I ain't gonna make her wait," Jou mumbled as he stumbled his way down the hall to the bathroom. He acknowledged the cushion thrown at his back with an impatient finger and disappeared behind the door.

The exchange woke Anzu, who had won her coveted position on the couch by out-drinking her boys as they'd watched an old Godzilla movie, taking shots each time the monster's name was spoken/shouted/capitalized in bad American sub-titles. She blinked open bleary eyes and stared at her surroundings without a hint of recognition. "Wha-uh?"

"Jou," Yuugi explained as he hid his face in his arms, which were now his make-shift pillow.

Anzu blinked. "Oh." Nothing more needed to be said, really. She pushed herself into a sitting position, the blanket she'd thrown over herself falling to her lap as she reached for the ceiling and stretched her back. "I'm going to make some coffee. I think need we all that… it… caffeine." She scrunched her face, deciding it wasn't worth the effort to make herself clearer and headed to the small kitchen. The sounds of her rummaging for the coffee and the filters were enough to wake Honda, who was draped over the recliner Yuugi had managed to steal from his grandfather.

"Did I fall asleep?" he asked the wall.

Yuugi grunted a curt "No." He lifted his head from his arms. "You passed out right after me. I saw you."

"Oh. Okay."

Neither stopped to consider the plausibility of this statement.

Yuugi was on his way to falling back asleep when Jou came back into the room, sneezing gloriously and startling both Honda and Yuugi into full wakefulness. Anzu entered a few moments later with a tray of four mismatched coffee mugs and passed them around to her boys before taking a seat on the couch and wrapping the blanket around her legs.

"Does anyone remember why we're here?" she asked the room.

Jou pointed in what he assumed to be Honda's direction (he was wrong) before answering. "Welcoming him back to the group."

"Oh right," Anzu said, steeling herself for the mouthful of bitter coffee she was about to intake. She shuddered with revulsion. "And we drank because…?"

"My fault," Yuugi said, raising his hand in the air but keeping his head lowered so he could stare blankly into his mug. "I had the booze. And the Godzilla movie." He thought for a difficult moment. "And I wanted to, I think."

The reconciliation between Yuugi and Honda wasn't anywhere near complete, and it had taken these past nine months for the tension between them to settle enough that they were not only able, but _willing_, to talk to each other in an effort to mend the rift between them. Anzu and Jou had almost ruined the opportunity by pushing Yuugi to welcome Honda with their eagerness to get their group back together. Yuugi still wasn't comfortable with the idea of having Honda in his circle again because, as far as he could tell, the man's opinion of Atemu had not changed over time. In fact, if anything, Atemu's departure had only served to strengthen Honda's belief that the Egyptian had been little more than an opportunistic freeloader. Honda had restrained himself for the sake of the mending friendship, but he had not been able to resist questioning Yuugi if _his_ opinion of Atemu hadn't at least altered?

Yuugi had refused to answer the question because he didn't feel Honda had earned a pass into his inner beliefs with the behavior he'd exhibited. It had been a stupid question anyway and Yuugi wasn't about to give anyone the satisfaction of admitting for the hundredth time that _yes_, it had hurt when Atemu had moved out on his own without telling him where he was going, but _no_, he didn't hate the man for it and had no intention of hating him for it because deep down in his heart he had understood why the man he loved had left. He wasn't going to waste his time trying to explain his reasoning to his friends because, frankly, it was none of their business. It was still a sore spot between them all, their belief that they were entitled to have knowledge and an opinion of his and Atemu's relationship, but Jou and Anzu at least made the effort to hold their tongues and offer quiet support. It was yet to be seen if Honda was willing to make the same effort.

"Does anyone remember where I put my keys?" Jou asked. He tilted his head back and finished his coffee in one motion, standing and offering to take other cups in need of refills.

"No," Honda, Anzu, and Yuugi chorused, with Anzu adding, "Why?"

"Can't remember," Jou said with a shrug. "I hate not knowing where my keys are."

"_Definitely_ no more alcohol in my house," Yuugi groaned into the hand he'd smashed to his face. "I've got a headache I wouldn't believe."

"Why did we drink?" Honda asked, taking his refilled cup from Jou. "That isn't something this group does very often."

"Better question," Jou said, plopping down on the floor next to Yuugi and poking him in the shoulder. "Why did _you_ want to drink? Students giving you hell?"

Yuugi blinked his eyes slowly after giving a sidelong glance to his friend. He really didn't want to admit his need for getting stone-cold drunk the night before. Jou picked up on the flash of sadness in the younger man's eyes and instantly understood, dropping the subject but putting an arm around Yuugi's shoulders for a moment in silent support.

"What is it?" Anzu asked, her voice lowered in concern when she saw the gentle way Jou was holding Yuugi.

"It's nothing," Jou brushed off easily, removing his arm from Yuugi's rounded shoulders. "Who's up for going out for some breakfast? I know I'm in no condition to cook and I'm starved." His stomach growled to emphasize his point and add to the distraction.

While Jou and Anzu discussed possible locations for breakfast that were in walking distance, because everyone agreed that no one should get behind the wheel of a car, Honda studied Yuugi and his lack of involvement in the conversation. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that his friend was brooding, or sulking, or doing something sad and depressing as he sat there with his eyes downcast, and he didn't have to think twice before he'd decided what Yuugi's mind was consumed over.

"_Still_, Yuugi?" Honda asked, and his voice revealed the irritation he still held over the matter. "He's still influencing you even though it's been nine months?"

Jou and Anzu halted their conversation and glared at Honda with disbelief that the man had been unable to hold his tongue for a _day_ regarding Atemu. Honda matched them look for look before relenting by shaking his head and holding his hands up in surrender, though it was obvious to everyone that he didn't regret what he'd said.

"You're so dense," Anzu said harshly.

"Whatever," Honda muttered, crossing his arms over his chest and pushing himself back into the recliner. "But I'm not going to pretend it doesn't bother me."

"You don't have to the way you broadcast it," Jou said. His words were that much more potent because he refused to give Honda the respect of looking him in the eye when he spoke them. He wasn't looking for a fight, and really had no intention of challenging his friend, but he was so _tired_ of Honda always trying to make the whole situation about him when it didn't involve him in the first place.

"Just stop it." Yuugi's quiet voice echoed in the small room and caught the attention of his friends. He raised his head and looked at Anzu and Jou, saying, "I don't need you two to defend me," before he turned and looked at Honda with a stronger gaze, "and I most certainly do not need your permission to miss him."

"But I don't understand why you do," Honda countered. "I mean, sure, he lived in your house for awhile, but so what? It wasn't that long. You usually aren't hung up on people like this."

Yuugi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it before releasing it slowly in an effort to keep his temper. "How many times must I tell you that I'm not going to explain this to you Honda? Just let it go."

"I can't." Honda leaned forward in the recliner, letting his elbows rest on his knees. "I don't like feeling threatened or having my turf invaded."

"What?" Yuugi asked, surprised. He pointedly ignored the comment about the turf, deciding to react to it later when he had more information.

"Look at us, man," Honda said, much of the antagonism having left his voice in favor of fatigue. He ran both his hands through his hair and flung himself back into the chair, his hands draped over the arms. "We aren't like this! We're friends, yet here we are fighting and it's all because of him."

Jou flinched after listening to his friend. He didn't need to look at Yuugi to know that the man did not like what he'd heard and frankly, neither had he. He stole a glance at Anzu and noticed her chewing her lip, a silent communication of _'oh crap'_ passing between them.

"This fight," Yuugi said slowly, "has nothing to do with _him_." He set his empty coffee mug on the floor beside him and folded his knees in preparation to stand. "It has _everything_ to do with you."

Honda watched Yuugi, dumbstruck, before reacting to the nonverbal challenge. "We were fine until he came along," he said sternly.

Yuugi took advantage of the following silence to stand fully, and he went out to the kitchen to retrieve a garbage bag, returning to the living room and beginning to collect the empty bottles that littered the floor and table. He kept his attention diverted on his task so he wouldn't be tempted to glare at Honda for the duration of his speech, which ended up being punctuated with him slamming bottles together occasionally in the bag.

"You were always territorial, Honda. The first day I brought you home you tried to claim the living room as your own, being downright rude and aggressive to my family until I had to knock you off your high horse and get you to realize that you _weren't_ the one in charge anymore. You even tried to demand I sleep on the floor of my room and give you the bed because you were a guest, remember?"

Honda had the decency to look embarrassed by the mention of his poor behavior, though he remained indignant and unconvinced of what, if any, point this had.

"It transfers to your friends, too," Yuugi continued, satisfied with Honda's silence as a sign that he was listening. "I know you've had a hard past, and I've never asked you to explain it to me, but you can only use that as an excuse for your behavior for so long before it stops being valid."

"But-!" Honda began, but stopped when Anzu slapped his arm to make him be quiet.

"You feel threatened by him, but it's not because of anything he's done. This is all you. He's never tried to separate me from you guys, even in instances where I feel he should have. I think Jou would agree with me on that."

Honda and Anzu looked to Jou, who nodded sheepishly in agreement. "He certainly had the opportunity, especially when I was being a real ass, but he actually tried to cover up for me." He laughed nervously, but with a bit of admiration coloring the sound. "I never expected that from him."

"But that was just part of his plan," Honda said quickly before Anzu could silence him again. He looked pleadingly between Anzu and Jou, begging them to agree with him. When Jou looked away and Anzu shook her head, Honda's mouth dropped open in resentment. "Oh come on! Don't tell me he fooled you guys too!"

"You don't react well to change," Yuugi went on as though he hadn't been interrupted, twisting the top of the bag so he could tie it close now that he'd collected all the bottles. "And his being here was a _big_ change."

"The others didn't bother me," Honda growled, angry at Yuugi's implication. "There have been _lots_ of changes since we met and I've handled them just fine. _He's_ the only one I've had a problem with!"

Yuugi nodded his head reverentially, the teacher in him rewarding a student for new insight. "All the others were temporary changes, and we all knew that from the start." He took the bag into the kitchen and set it down next to trash can before returning to the living room, standing behind the couch with his arms crossed and his face stern with resolution. "But Atemu is a permanent change, and that scares the hell out of you."

"Permanent?" Honda repeated. "How can he be permanent when he isn't even here?!"

"Because he is the love of my life."

No one in the room knew how to react to that statement, so Yuugi waited patiently as each of his friends decided how they were going to respond. It was the first time he'd admitted to them the seriousness of his devotion to Atemu. He'd hinted and admitted that he'd fallen for the man, but this proclamation alerted his friends that if they were going to be a part of his life, then Atemu was going to be as well, because as far as Yuugi saw it he was always going to be by Atemu's side. It didn't matter that the man wasn't standing in the room with him now, or that he didn't know exactly where he was. The love he held in his heart was enough to keep the Egyptian close, and the fact that Atemu had confessed that his own heart laid with Yuugi only made his devotion that much stronger. To hell with only waiting one year for Atemu to return. He was going to wait as long as it took for the two of them to find each other again. It was time his friends understood this.

Jou was the first to recover, nodding his head and picking himself off the floor in search of his keys. "Ol' Yug settling down," he said mockingly, flashing a grin to his friend. "Someone's tamed the wild heart."

Yuugi laughed good-naturedly, smiling at Anzu when she said, "It's about time you told us. It was driving me nuts waiting for you to admit it!"

Honda gaped at the three of them while they all partook in the search for Jou's elusive keys, unwilling to believe what he'd just heard.

"You're afraid that my feelings for Atemu will affect our relationship," Yuugi said quietly, having abandoned the search to come and talk to Honda privately. "The only thing it will affect is how much time we spend together. I still consider you a friend, but where we go from here depends entirely on you."

Honda's stomach churned like sour milk. "If… if I asked you which was more impo-"

"You don't want to ask me that," Yuugi interrupted, though not unkindly. "I'm offering you my friendship, Honda, on the condition that you accept him whether he's here or not. I know it's a lot to ask, but it's the only way you and I will work."

"I see." Honda was quiet for several moments, too tired and too hurt to think clearly. "I'm going home," he said eventually, standing and gathering his coat from the closet. "I'll…" he hesitated, casting an uncertain glance at Yuugi. When he saw that Yuugi wasn't going to change his stance he said, "I'll have to think about it." He only felt free to leave the apartment once Yuugi nodded his consent, forgetting to say his farewells to Honda and Anzu.

"Should I go after him?" Jou asked the air, immediately deciding against it. "No, he needs to finally decide on this."

"Are you alright Yuugi?" Anzu asked, coming up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Yuugi looked at her and smiled easily. "I'm fine, Anzu. And I'm _hungry_. Let's find Jou's keys so we can get out of here and get some food."

* * *

Four days later Yuugi met Honda at a local diner, where the two came to the mutual agreement of putting their friendship on hiatus. If the other were ever in an emergency the lines of communication would be open, but other than that they were no longer going to be active participants in each other's lives. And though the split brought sadness with it, each man felt as though they had maintained their integrity and viewed the other warmly.

For Honda, it was a moment that would remain with him for the rest of his life as he continuously missed the enlightened friendship Yuugi offered.

For Yuugi, it was the beginning of his ability to love Atemu freely, no longer bound by the opinion of others. It was the start of a new life.

* * *

_to be concluded…_


	18. A Fool's Game

Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

A/N: My sincerest apologies for this story taking me nearly a year to complete. It's only two hundred pages, for crying out loud! But putting that aside, thank you _so much_ to those who stuck with this story, and to any new readers who are just now reading it. I'm going to miss this story, this little blooper that was never supposed to happen and actually began as a comedy. It has been good to me.

I hope this chapter provides a satisfactory ending. It went in a direction I wasn't expecting, but I think it works. I do have one apology though: the last line. It insists on being there despite my efforts to… how shall I say it? Improve it a little? Oh well. Who am I to argue with the story's demands?

I look forward to seeing all of you in my next story. Thank you again!

Enjoy!

Ocean

* * *

**Carry On  
**_By Ocean_

_Chapter Eighteen – A Fool's Game_

It was late Sunday afternoon and, in typical Yuugi fashion, the new teacher had spent the weekend convincing himself that grading papers wasn't going to take him long and was now reaping the benefits of his splendid talent as a liar. He'd already spent the better part of the day on grading, and he still had three classes' worth of material to check, double check, and comment on before Monday morning. He wasn't planning on having a very interesting evening.

He jumped when his cell phone rang, having forgotten that he'd turned it on and set it next to his wine glass full of apple juice – he hadn't gotten around to doing the dishes yet and it was the only clean glass he had. Gasping in exasperation at his own jittery nerves he reached for the device and stared at the screen. He immediately recognized the name displayed on the screen and slid open his phone.

"Hey Sarah! What's shakin'?"

"_Don't you sass me young man_," Sarah laughed. "_I'm going to be your grandmother soon._"

Yuugi grinned, straightening the pile of papers in front of him while he spoke. "I still can't believe you agreed to marry Jichan."

"_What, and miss being a member of the notorious Motou family? I'd have to be crazy._"

"If you're crazy it's automatic admission." Yuugi reached across the table for the answer key that had been shoved away by the daring piles of homework. "So what's going on Sarah?"

"_Oh, I just wanted to see how you were doing dear,"_ Sarah said. _"We haven't heard from you in a few weeks."_

"Yeah, sorry about that," Yuugi said as he sat back in his seat, holding his phone between his ear and shoulder so he could examine his hands. He picked idly at the fingerless gloves he wore – a new pair, midnight black and still a little stiff – his thoughts tracing back to the man who had started him on the path of gloves. The original pair that Atemu had loaned him was stashed in his keepsake box under his bed, along with all his other sentimental valuables, were he could easily reach them on those nights where his longing for the other man was so great that he wasn't able to sleep.

"_It's okay honey, we know you're busy with your own life. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."_

Yuugi contemplated the pros and cons of saying he was great and didn't have a care in the world, but even if he did he knew that Sarah wouldn't believe a word of it. "I'm doing well, actually. I'm getting into this teaching thing, and there's really only a few students who're giving me trouble, but that's not their fault." He smirked secretly to himself, recalling the words of the professor who had taken him under his wing. "I haven't kicked their butts into line yet. They are freshmen, after all. Still a little cocky."

Sarah let her amusement shine through her voice. _"Then they don't know who they're dealing with having _you_ as their instructor."_

"Damn straight." Yuugi shared a laugh with the older woman before allowing his mood to fall a bit melancholy. "It's been almost two years, Sarah."

"_Has it been that long already?"_ she asked, her voice respectfully low.

"Yeah." Yuugi took hold of his phone and pressed it against his ear so he could hide his face in his arm on the table. "I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn't know it would be _this_ hard. I miss him so much it hurts."

"_You still love him."_

"Of course. That isn't going to change. I just wish he'd contact me somehow, let me at least know he's alive." Yuugi groaned in frustration, stamping his feet loudly. "Let me know if he's met someone else…"

"_Now Yuugi, don't get ahead of yourself. For one, what would him contacting you accomplish?"_

Yuugi was quiet as he thought about it. "It'd probably make it worse because I'd want him to stay, or tell me where he was so I could go to him."

"_And if he has met someone else? Would you stop loving him?"_

"_No_," Yuugi whined, because it was true and he'd already resigned himself to a life of pining after the Egyptian.

"_Exactly. And two, no one here believes that he loves anyone other than you, dear. Don't underestimate what you know you mean to him."_

Yuugi sighed, raising his head from his arm and reaching for his wine glass, chugging the rest of his apple juice. "You're right," he conceded after smacking his lips. "You're right. Heh, thanks. My students aren't the only ones who need a kick in the butt."

"_I'll always be here for you Yuugi_,_"_ Sarah said, and he could hear the grin in her voice.

"Now," Yuugi said, eager for a change of topic, "about that wedding! What do you guys need me- hold on," he said suddenly, "there's someone at the door."

Yuugi quickly made his way around his kitchen table to the front door, narrowing his eyes to look through the peephole in an effort to see who was on the other side. The fading light and the distorted view through the curved glass made it difficult for him to discern anything more than that the person was male and so, with a shrug, Yuugi unlocked his door and opened it just enough for him to look around it and see who had come to visit. And he stayed in that awkward position, balanced on one foot, twisted around the edge of the door, with eyes wide as saucers and his mouth open, not moving or speaking, long enough to worry Sarah into calling his name several times in order to break the silence on the phone.

"Huh?" Yuugi said. The other man had yet to do more than offer him a small, friendly smile while he waited patiently for Yuugi's mind to start working again. "Oh. I'm going to have to call you back."

"… _okay then Yuugi. Take care of yourselves."_ Sarah ended the call. Yuugi was too dumbstruck to find Atemu – _Atemu_, for goodness' sake – standing on the other side of his door to hear the implication of her words.

"Hey there, Yuugi," Atemu said quietly, his voice richer and smoother than Yuugi remembered, but that could have been the shock's influence.

"… Hi."

Atemu waited a moment before smirking lightly, realizing he was going to have to take the initiative. "May I come in? It's getting cold now that the sun is setting."

"The sun?" Yuugi tore his gaze from the other man and looked over his shoulder, jumping in surprise and throwing his door open when he noticed painted colors appearing in the sky. "Oh! Of course! Come in, come in," he said, gesturing as he stood aside so Atemu could easily make it indoors. "Sorry about that. I didn't realize how late it had gotten."

Atemu walked far enough into the room so he could turn around and look at Yuugi, his fingers pushed loosely into the front pockets of his jeans as he stood with an informal calmness the younger man did not recognize. "Relax, Yuugi," he said after a silent moment in a near whisper, comforting in its hushed tone. "It's just me."

Yuugi nodded, accepting the opportunity to fully acknowledge and observe the man standing in his home, unconsciously bracing his shoulders against the door he had just closed. He was having trouble convincing himself that it was Atemu who was standing before him, but - … but he couldn't convince himself that it _wasn't_ Atemu standing in front of him. It was very confusing.

The first thing Yuugi noticed was that the Egyptian had gained weight in his limbs and torso, and most noticeably in his face. He was pleased to see this, for when he had first found Atemu it had taken days for him to get the man to eat on a regular basis, and that didn't even include nutritional value which, to Yuugi's utter frustration, Atemu had shown no interest in. It looked good on him; took away the lanky, almost unhealthy appearance that had just begun to disappear with the attention he'd been given when he'd disappeared two years ago, and provided Atemu with a healthy appealing sheen that lifted Yuugi's spirits to no end. And his _face_, a little more rounded and full, though still angled in tribute to his homeland, showed nothing but lightness that spread like wisps of feathers from his smile to his eyes, which burned like quiet embers satiated in their hearth.

His hair was also a little shorter, though still long and just as deep a crimson-black as it'd always been, more tapered and controlled with a hint of wildness under restraint. Yuugi however didn't notice this detail. Well, he _did_, but not consciously. He only saw how gorgeous Atemu looked standing in the awful yellow glare of his living room's single lamp.

"You look different," Yuugi finally said, raising his eyes to meet Atemu's from their voyage over his body.

"So do you," Atemu said with a little humor.

Yuugi tilted his head to the side in question. "Really?"

"Yes," Atemu said, taking a step towards Yuugi and reaching his hand out towards him. He hesitated before his fingers reached Yuugi's hair, the pause pregnant with the years that had passed between them. His eyes lost a moment of confidence, and he lowered them to the floor before raising them again, his arm dropping back to his side. "Your hair is shorter. And…" He squinted playfully. "I do believe you are blonder than I remember."

Yuugi's hand rose reflexively to the bangs around his face that he'd recently had bleached. "Just fresher," he muttered. "I hadn't dyed my hair in awhile when I met you."

"Ah." Atemu shrugged, taking a step back and increasing the distance between them to a more comfortable level. "Well, either way, it looks good on you."

Yuugi couldn't stop the smile that formed because of the simple and honest flattery, and not to his surprise he found he didn't want to. He still hadn't recovered from the fact that Atemu had so suddenly appeared on his doorstep, on the first night he'd spoken to his family in weeks, on one of the worst nights he'd had in a long… while… aw _man_…

"That little minx," Yuugi said to himself, though it was loud enough for Atemu to hear and smirk at in agreement. He folded his hands behind his neck after pushing off from the door and stretching his back towards the ceiling. Shaking his head with fondness towards the older woman, he grinned at his houseguest. "That's why she called me, isn't it?"

Atemu bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Probably. I think we all seriously underestimate her still."

Yuugi narrowed his eyes. "Don't you try to play innocent here. I'm sure this whole thing was your idea. The two of you are a menace to the family and you know it."

He had meant it as a joke, but when Atemu lowered his eyes and turned away from him, not in weakness but with profound quietness, he realized that he'd crossed a line he hadn't known was drawn. Yuugi dropped his arms and took a few steps forward before hesitating himself, feeling the awkwardness of the moment and fully preparing to run into that notorious wall that so aggravated him. But as he continued to stand less than an arm's distance from Atemu he discovered that there was nothing preventing him from moving closer other than his own fear of doing so. He didn't sense any other form of resistance. It wasn't what he'd expected, and he found himself unable to act because of it.

Atemu was lost in his own thoughts but quickly emerged from them, forcing a shiver to run through his body to loosen its tension and pull him back to the present. He furrowed his brows when he noticed Yuugi's rigid stance, and his lips parted in concern as he struggled over his desire to reach out to the other man and whether or not he was welcomed to do so. "Yuugi?" he ventured carefully.

"I don't understand what's happening," Yuugi answered, his voice distant with his uncertainty. He glanced at Atemu before moving his eyes away, looking for something stable he could latch on to. His couch offered itself in his vision and he pounced, moving quickly to its side and sitting roughly on the cushions. He pulled his feet beneath him and sat with his knees under his chin, arms resting on the cushion. After several moments of not looking at Atemu he eventually pulled his gaze towards the other man. "What are you doing here Atemu? _How_ did you get here?" He swallowed reflexively, emotion swirling in his gut like a riptide. "I mean, how did you find me? I haven't lived at home in almost a year."

Atemu's concern lessened after Yuugi spoke, but he was still cautious as he approached the diminutive couch and slowly sat on the opposite end, giving Yuugi plenty of time to protest should he wish to. He didn't answer until he was seated sideways, with one leg bent beneath him and his side braced by the back of the couch so he could easily keep his gaze on Yuugi. "I know, I mean, I know that now. But I didn't yesterday." He propped his elbow on the back of the couch and rested his head in his palm. "I figured the game shop would be the best place to start looking when I wanted to find you. I was happy to hear that you'd moved out on your own." He smiled lightly at this, but it was fleeting.

"Why would you be happy to hear that?" Yuugi asked, though he immediately regretted the question, because in his experience he wasn't going to be given a satisfactory answer. In fact, he was fully prepared for the response to be something along the lines of 'Isn't it obvious?' Again his assumptions failed him.

"Because it meant that even if you were waiting for me, you weren't letting your life slip away while doing it. You look surprised," Atemu added, noting Yuugi's wide eyes. "Why are you surprised that I'm happy for you?"

Yuugi shook his head in silent disbelief, but didn't otherwise deign to answer. "You don't sound surprised that I did- wait a minute… yesterday? Where on _earth_ have you been?" he asked with incredulity, anger bubbling in his veins knowing that Atemu had made the effort to find him only to wait once he knew where he was living.

Atemu shifted his weight against the cushions, signaling his discomfort, before settling himself into answering the question. "I wandered around a little after talking to Seto and asking for a transfer."

"He gave you one? Just like that?"

"Well, no, I wouldn't say that," Atemu said, coughing into his hand. "But he eventually agreed to let me have a 'tour' of his other businesses as long as I didn't stay away longer than two months. It was an acceptable compromise."

"Two months," Yuugi muttered. "So you're telling me you've been here in Domino almost this whole time?"

Atemu offered an apologetic smile. "I did go to America for two weeks, if that makes you feel any better." According to Yuugi's scowl, it did not.

"Although," Yuugi eventually sighed, "I'll admit I'm surprised you hung around here. I thought you were _dying_ to get away from me."

Atemu flinched at Yuugi's bitter tone, knowing he deserved it but unable to avoid being hurt by the resentment nonetheless. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing with practiced motions. "Yuugi," he whispered, "please don't tell me I have to explain it to you again."

Yuugi crossed his arms and jerked his head to the side. "Don't worry," he snapped. "I wouldn't _dream_ of breaking your delusion that knowing why you left made it easier to let you go."

"I'm sorry," Atemu said quietly.

Yuugi waved him off, annoyed that he was allowing his hurt to express itself as anger during this initial reunion. His motion caught Atemu's attention, and Yuugi found himself momentarily distracted as the other man stared at his hands. "_What?_

Atemu didn't answer at first, eventually shaking his head and raising his gaze from Yuugi's hands to his eyes, and then directing them to travel around the room as he spoke. "I just didn't expect to see you wearing gloves, that's all." He folded his arms around his stomach, hiding his glaringly gloveless hands against his sides. "I thought you only wore them because I was around."

Yuugi brought his hand in front of his face, turning it so he could see all sides, considering his response. "Well, I guess you could say I got used to them. And what about the necklace?" he asked, giving Atemu an accusing glance from the corner of his eyes.

Atemu instinctively fingered the puka shell necklace he wore, the very one Yuugi had given him, and lowered his eyes. "I'm used to it. You could say." His tone was conciliatory, and was able to soothe some of the bite in Yuugi's glare.

Yuugi debated over telling Atemu the entire truth, about how the gloves reminded him of the Egyptian and solidified the memories of their time together, but he was unable to bring himself to this admission. When Atemu didn't question him further, merely accepting the answer he was given, Yuugi felt a pang of guilt and decided to change the topic.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked. He noticed he had resumed the defensive clutching of his knees and forced his feet to the floor open himself to communication. He certainly didn't want to erect the wall that was so noticeably absent around Atemu just because he was in a pissy mood.

It took a moment, but the air eventually shifted from angered tension to tentative amicability. Atemu kept his eyes lowered to the couch, though he did occasionally give Yuugi a doubtful glance. "I did and I didn't," he nodded, voice soft and non-threatening. "I'm a lot better than I used to be. There's still a long way to go, but I'm a lot better." He laughed, once. "The lessons of childhood certainly engrain themselves."

"Gotta kick'em out," Yuugi said without thinking. "Don't be a wuss. Hunt them down and shoot'em." He blinked his eyes wide open when his brain caught up with what his mouth had said, and he turned to Atemu in fear that he had again crossed a line. A grin met him, along with an affectionate stare and what Yuugi could only describe as a flirtatious tilt of a head, and for a moment, the two years that had passed without them seeing each other had never happened.

"Yeah," Atemu said, still smiling. "That's pretty much what my therapist says, too."

"Therapist?" Yuugi repositioned himself so he was sitting facing Atemu, cross-legged on the cushion and his elbows hanging off his knees. His curiosity overran all other emotions. "You're seeing a shrink?"

"_Yuugi_," Atemu scolded, his eyes narrowing in defensiveness and his tone alerting that he was not joking. "Don't be thick about it. There's nothing wrong with therapy."

Yuugi wanted to roll his eyes in the grand gesture of a man suffering because of misunderstanding, but he resisted when instinct told him that this was a delicate subject for Atemu. In fact, it was pretty amazing that Atemu had so openly told him about seeking help, let alone the fact that he had taken the initial step that was beyond the reach of so many people due to fear, ignorance, or social pressure. Yuugi lowered his eyes submissively and offered his apology. "I didn't mean anything by it."

Atemu was silent before loosening his arms from around his stomach and forcing himself to relax despite his guarded position. "It's alright," he breathed out, his voice gaining strength. "I'm still a little touchy about it, even though I've been going for a little over a year now."

"That's understandable," Yuugi said. "Knowing you," he added when Atemu gave him a confused look from beneath his bangs. "Help isn't something you've ever accepted easily, and this is something you went out and got for yourself." He paused for a moment, a smile creeping up and eventually presenting itself on his face. He didn't waver once he decided that he was going to lean forward and reach for Atemu's wrist, holding it gently as he couldn't get his fingers completely around the area due to the other man's crossed arms, and bowed his head until he caught Atemu's eyes.

"I'm proud of you," Yuugi said, and he smiled gracefully to Atemu's strained smirk. "You may be proud of me for moving on, but what you've done took far more courage than moving to the other side of town. I'm _proud_ of you," he reiterated more quietly, the truth and sincerity of the sentiment beginning to melt away the anger he'd been feeling. He realized it didn't hurt so much knowing that while they'd been apart Atemu had been trying to help himself, to rid himself of his demons and become the person Yuugi had always known he could be.

"So what brings you here today?" Yuugi asked after a moment, a beautiful moment where he was able to simply sit and look at Atemu, who comfortably sat and looked at him in turn, both smiles never fading. He didn't notice how close he'd been leaning to Atemu until the Egyptian unfolded his arms completely and repositioned his legs beneath him, bringing their faces incredibly close – naturally close – together. Yuugi was able to take a quick breath and breathe in the scent that had been lingering in his mind, and his eyes closed momentarily at the goodness of it.

"My therapist, actually," Atemu said, his tone low to match the intimate closeness.

"Really?" Yuugi asked. His hand didn't seem to want to move from Atemu's wrist, and the other man didn't seem to have any objections to the contact.

"Yeah." Atemu made sure to look at Yuugi when he spoke, even if his head was tilted down in an almost coy-like manner that was anything but. "She wants to meet you."

"Me?" Yuugi thought about this before a knowing, roguish shadow fell over his features. "You've been talking about me."

Atemu shrugged playfully. "Maybe a little."

"Uh huh."

"Maybe more than a little."

"That's better." Yuugi removed his hand from Atemu's wrist and brought it up to his own head, touching his fingers to his cheek before reaching out to feel Atemu's temple, brushing them back lightly into his hair. His heart skipped a beat before speeding up when Atemu didn't shy away from the contact, but watched him with that newfound confidence Yuugi had first encountered when he'd opened his door. "Does she think I can help?"

"She thinks you're important to me," Atemu corrected softly.

Yuugi let his fingers become more adventurous in their exploration of Atemu's inviting hair while he thought, though those thoughts were interrupted when Atemu closed his eyes and leaned into the hand caressing his scalp. It was amazing how nice, how _real_ this all felt, having Atemu back and in front of him, _wanting_ to be there because this time he had come on his own and not as a result of Yuugi's cajoling. Oh, what it would be for all the world to stop right where it was so he could sit here on the couch, undisturbed, with the man he loved.

"Do you want me there?" Yuugi asked, letting his fingers ghost over the shell of Atemu's ear, vibrating the skin lightly. "Would you be comfortable with that?"

"I don't think anything in therapy can be considered comfortable. That isn't the point," Atemu chuckled. "But yes," he said, opening his eyes, "I'd like to have you there. If you want to be."

Yuugi wanted to kiss him for that. "Well, now that I know that you're around, you're going to find yourself hard pressed to keep me away." He curled his fingers around the back of Atemu's head and pulled him forward into a tickling Eskimo kiss. "Just tell me when and where and I'll be there," he added, relishing in the feel of Atemu's nose against his, the laughing eyes looking at him, the closeness it brought and the wounds that it healed.

"Good," Atemu whispered before blinking his eyes wide. "Oh! Shoot, I forgot."

Yuugi's face scrunched into a confused pout as he watched Atemu jump off the couch and head towards the front door, pulling it open and kneeling out of sight before his crown of dark red hair reappeared. He cocked his head to the side when Atemu reentered the room with one arm behind his back, a grin on his face that definitely belonged there.

"What was that all about?" Yuugi asked.

"These," Atemu said, exposing the bouquet of white heather he'd feebly hidden behind his back.

Yuugi cocked his eyebrow at the flowers; giving Atemu a suspicious glance he slowly accepted them. "You left them on the ground outside?"

Atemu had the grace to look embarrassed before the emotion passed and he rolled his shoulders in such a manner as to convey 'What're ya gonna do?'

"I hadn't decided if I was going to knock yet and had set them down while I paced… um, while I was thinking about it."

"I see," Yuugi said as he gently fingered the small petals. "And what do these mean?"

Atemu lazily pushed his hands into his pant pockets, settling his weight onto one foot and slouching for all he was worth, at ease now that Yuugi had accepted him and the flowers back into his life. "Well, I know you don't need protection," he began, repeating the conversation of an encounter three years old and as fresh as morning dew. "So I guess that leaves me with the fulfillment of your whishes. I have a vague sense of what they are."

"Do you, now?" Yuugi brought the flowers to his face and dipped his nose into the intense fragrance, inhaling deeply. "We'll see about that."

"Indeed."

"You do realize that you'll be living with me again, right?" Yuugi said suddenly, lowering the bouquet and giving Atemu his stern professor's gaze. His expression grew dark when Atemu shook his head at the question. "And why the hell not?"

"Boundaries, Heba, boundaries," was Atemu's explanation. He turned his head to look at the small expanse of Yuugi's apartment, sniffing theatrically to show his disdain and missing the look of indignation that flared on Yuugi's face. "This place is much too small for both of us to be comfortable. No, this won't do at all." He raised a finger at Yuugi and shook it teasingly. "My therapist does insist that every person needs their space, even in a relationship."

Yuugi frowned. "Sounds like a quack to me." To his surprise, Atemu laughed heartily.

"So narrow minded," Atemu sighed, placing his hand on top of Yuugi's head to ruffle his hair, much to the younger man's chagrin. He retaliated by batting at the other's arm. "Seriously, though," Atemu said, slowing the tousling of Yuugi's hair and tracing his palm down Yuugi's cheek until his fingers were curled under the other man's chin, rubbing the sensitive skin affectionately as he talked. "Give me a couple more months, alright? Let me make sure I'm worth living with."

"You always were," Yuugi said honestly. "You don't believe that yet?"

Atemu smiled. "I do. There's just… one more thing I'd like to fix before I subject you to me."

"What's that?"

Atemu shrugged in apology. "Just something for me to do."

Yuugi sighed, disappointment evident in his eyes. "Two more months, then," he said dejectedly.

"What?" Atemu asked, his fingers stilling beneath Yuugi's chin. It took a moment for him to realize what Yuugi was thinking. When it dawned on him he vehemently shook his head. "No! No, that's not what I'm asking," he said, kneeling on one leg before Yuugi. "I don't mean I don't want to see you. I'm just asking that we don't live together right away. That's all."

"That's all," Yuugi scoffed, rolling only his eyes because he was unwilling to break the contact with the hand on his face. "He says that like he's asking for a second helping of dinner." He huffed for the sake of it before nodding his agreement. "Fine. But only if you go on a date with me tomorrow night."

"That works."

"You pick me up at seven."

"Alright."

"In the Beamer. I assume you still have it."

Atemu smirked. "A newer model, too."

Yuugi nodded in satisfaction. "Good. When you get here, you hand me the keys, _I_ take _you_ out," he paused to emphasize this point and waited a good minute before Atemu understood he was supposed to agree, "and then you take me back to your place, where you'll proceed to show me where I'll be living soon and where I'll be putting my stuff. You got it?"

"I got it." The grin on Atemu's lips proved as much. "And how will this fabulous evening of real estate perusal end?"

Yuugi was dead serious.

"With you trying to convince me why keeping you up all night kissing you isn't a good idea and failing, because there's no way in hell you'll make me believe you."

Atemu groaned, partly for play and partly out of true pain. "Guess I'll have to stay up and finish that report tonight, then," he muttered without enthusiasm.

"Damn straight," Yuugi said, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around Atemu's neck, sitting on the man's bent knee and hugging him with all the strength he possessed. "Because tomorrow I'm not going to be able to hold back how much I've missed you."

Atemu wrapped his arms around Yuugi's back and buried his face against the side of his head, holding him just as fiercely. "Please don't," he said, his voice thick with pleading emotion, "because I don't want to be the only one who's going to look the fool."

Yuugi barked out a laugh, squeezing Atemu tighter and ignoring the tears stinging behind his eyes. It would fit, he thought. Because only fools fell in love, and he was the biggest fool of them all.

* * *

_The End_


End file.
